Motion of a Stone Whirled on a String

When a stone is tied to a string and swung around, it follows a path that is constantly turning inwards. The string pulls the stone towards the center, forcing it to move in a circle.

Defining Circular Motion

Circular motion is the movement of an object along a circular path. Key characteristics include:

• The object's path is a circle.
• The direction of the object's velocity is always tangent to the circle.
• A force (centripetal force) must act towards the center of the circle to maintain this motion.

The scenario described perfectly matches this definition.

Evaluating Other Motion Types

Consider why the other options are incorrect:

• Linear motion with increasing speed: This implies movement along a straight line, which is not the case here.
• Uniform straight-line motion: This requires both a straight path and constant velocity, neither of which applies.
• Non-uniform motion: While the *velocity* is non-uniform because its direction changes, the fundamental description of the *path* is circular motion. "Circular motion" is the more precise and direct answer for the type of path traced.

Thus, the stone exhibits circular motion.