Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Acceleration is defined as the rate at which an object changes its velocity over time. It can be positive (speeding up), negative (slowing down), or zero (constant speed).
Related terms
Deceleration: Deceleration is a negative acceleration that occurs when an object slows down.
Free Fall: Free fall refers to the motion of an object falling under the influence of gravity alone, without any other forces acting on it.
Newton's second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force applied to it and inversely proportional to its mass.