๐ŸŽกap physics 1 review

Tangential Velocity

Written by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโ€ขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated September 2025

Definition

Tangential velocity refers to the instantaneous linear velocity of an object moving along a curved path. It represents how fast an object is moving tangent to its circular path at any given point.