ACCELERATION

ACCELERATION

•Acceleration is the rate of change

of velocity
•Velocity includes both speed and
direction, therefore acceleration is
both the rate of change in
velocity and direction of that
change.
 ACCELERATION
•Acceleration – change in velocity over
time.
•a = ΔV/t = Final velocity – Initial
Velocity
Time
•Acceleration is a “rate”
•Units m/s2
 ACCELERATION
• When an object is increasing in velocity over
time it is said to be accelerating.
(positive acceleration)
• When an object is decreasing in velocity over
time it is said to be decelerating.
(negative acceleration)
• If an object is moving at constant velocity it is
said to be moving with zero acceleration
 ACCELERATION UNITS

• The unit for velocity is meters / second m/s

• The unit for time is seconds (s)
• Therefore, the unit for acceleration is meters/seconds =
m/s2
seconds
“Meters per second squared”
 THREE WAYS TO “ACCELERATE”

• Speed Up
• Slow Down
• Change Direction
CONSTANT ACCELERATION

• Acceleration that does

not change over time.
INSTANTANEOUS ACCELERATION

• The acceleration of an
object at any point in
time.
 ACCELERATION SAMPLE PROBLEM

• A race car sits at the starting line at Atco raceway.

The light turns green and the driver presses the
pedal to the metal. The velocity changes from 0
m/s to 60m/s in 6 seconds. What is the acceleration
of the car?
 SOLUTION:
• List the known information:
initial velocity (vi): 0 m/s
Final velocity (vf): 60 m/s
Time: 6 seconds

A= 60m/s – 0 m/s = 10 m/s2

6s
 PRACTICE PROBLEMS

1. An Indy-500 car’s velocity increases from 4.0 m/s to 36

m/s over a 4.0 second period. What is the acceleration?

a = v final – v initial / t

a = 36 m/s – 4.0 m/s = 32m/s = 8.0 m/s²

4.0 s 4.0 s
 PRACTICE PROBLEMS
2. The same car slows from 36 m/s to 15
m/s over 3 seconds. What is its average
acceleration over this time interval?

a = v final – v initial / t final – t initial

a = 15 m/s – 36 m/s = -21m/s = -7 m/s²

3.0 s -0 s 3.0 s

“decelerating”
 PRACTICE PROBLEMS

• A bus is moving at 25 m/s. The driver steps on

the brakes, and the bus stops in 3.0 seconds.

• What is the acceleration of the bus while

braking?
 PRACTICE PROBLEMS

a = v final – v initial / t

a = 0 m/s – 25 m/s = -25 m/s = -8.3 m/s²

3.0 s 3.0 s
“decelerating”