Acceleration

Definition of Acceleration

Acceleration is the physical phenomenon that occurs when an object changes its velocity over a period of time. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction, and it is measured in terms of meters per second squared (m/s²) or feet per second squared (ft/s²).

Acceleration is a result of a force acting on an object and overcoming its inertia. Inertia is an object’s resistance to motion, meaning that it will keep moving at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. The force required to overcome an object’s inertia and cause it to accelerate depends on the object’s mass, with larger and heavier objects requiring more force to accelerate.

Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity per unit of time, with velocity being the speed and direction of an object’s motion. If an object is accelerating, its velocity is changing either by speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. The mathematical formula for determining acceleration is a = (v₂ – v₁) / t, where a is acceleration, v₂ is the final velocity, v₁ is the initial velocity, and t is the time taken for the velocity change.

Acceleration plays an important role in physics and engineering and is used in a variety of applications, including motion sensing, vehicle design, and space exploration. Understanding acceleration is crucial for predicting and analyzing the behavior of moving objects in the physical world.