Acceleration

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over time. When an object changes its speed, direction, or both, it is said to be accelerating.

Formulas for Acceleration

The formula to calculate acceleration is:

a = (v_f - v_i) / t

Where:

• a = acceleration
• v_f = final velocity
• v_i = initial velocity
• t = time

Units of Acceleration

The SI unit of acceleration is meters per second squared (m/s^2).

Types of Acceleration

There are two main types of acceleration:

1. Positive acceleration: When the velocity of an object is increasing over time.
2. Negative acceleration (deceleration): When the velocity of an object is decreasing over time.

Factors Affecting Acceleration

Acceleration is affected by:

• The force applied to the object
• The mass of the object
• The direction of the force applied

Examples of Acceleration

Some common examples of acceleration include:

• A car speeding up or slowing down
• A ball thrown into the air
• A roller coaster going around a loop

Practice Problems

Calculate the acceleration for the following scenarios:

1. An object goes from a velocity of 10 m/s to 30 m/s in 5 seconds.
2. A car slows down from 20 m/s to 10 m/s in 4 seconds.