Acceleration Definition
In physics, acceleration is defined as the velocity rate over a specific period of time. If a moving object is accelerated at a straight line, it means the variation occurs in an object's speed. The acceleration is directly proportional to the speed and direction; if one of the values changes, the rate of acceleration changes as well. For instance, even if a speed or velocity remains constant in a circular path, the acceleration still changes because the direction of an object is changing continuously. The acceleration is measured in the form of m/s2, where m=meter and s=seconds.
Table of Contents
Formula of Acceleration
The formula for acceleration is listed below:
Acceleration = change in velocity / time
Note:
To calculate angular acceleration, you can use our Angular Acceleration Calculator.
Example
For a more precise understanding, let us have an example below:
If a change in velocity is 200 m/s and a time is 10s, find out the acceleration.
Given data
change in velocity = 200 m/s
time = 10s
To Find
Acceleration = ?
Solution
To find out the acceleration, we will use the formula listed below:
Acceleration = change in velocity / time
Putting values in the formula:
Acceleration = 200 / 10 = 20 m/s2
