Acceleration is calculated using the formula $a = \frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t}$, where $\Delta v$ is the change in velocity and $\Delta t$ is the change in time.
The SI unit for acceleration is meters per second squared (m/s^2).
Positive acceleration indicates an increase in velocity, while negative acceleration (deceleration) indicates a decrease in velocity.
According to Newton's Second Law of Motion, acceleration ($a$) is directly proportional to net force ($F_{net}$) and inversely proportional to mass ($m$), expressed as $F_{net} = ma$.
Uniform acceleration occurs when an object's velocity changes at a constant rate.
Review Questions
What is the formula used to calculate acceleration?
How does Newton's Second Law relate to acceleration?
What units are used to measure acceleration?
Related terms
Velocity: The speed of an object in a particular direction.
Newton’s Second Law of Motion: $F_{net} = ma$, which states that the net force acting on an object is equal to its mass times its acceleration.
Force: An interaction that changes the motion of an object, measured in newtons (N).