Acceleration

Definition

Acceleration refers to the rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. It can be positive (speeding up), negative (slowing down), or zero (constant velocity).

Related terms

Velocity:

Velocity is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction. Acceleration affects velocity by changing either its magnitude or direction.

Force: Force causes acceleration according to Newton's second law, which states that force equals mass times acceleration.

Deceleration: Deceleration refers specifically to negative acceleration when an object slows down.