Acceleration = rate of change in

velocity
Acceleration = change in
velocity
a = acceleration time

vf = final velocity a = Vf - Vi

vi = initial t
velocity
• Acceleration- has
direction, just like
velocity.
• Acceleration is a
VECTOR (it has both a
magnitude and a direction).
• The roller coaster
accelerates both
because its speed
changes and its
direction
For its velocity to change, an
object must accelerate.
An object accelerates
whenever its speed or
direction or both change.
So this means….
An object moving in a circle at
constant speed is always
accelerating (changing direction).
Acceleration at constant speed
How can you accelerate at a constant
speed?
It’s like gravity. An object’s
velocity gets faster every second,
but it gets faster at the same
rate.
Objects accelerate toward the
earth at a rate of 9.8 m/s2. In
other words they fall 9.8m/s
faster every second.
 An object is moving with uniform acceleration.

Its positions at one-second interval are shown below.

t = 0 s t = 1 s t = 2 s t = 3 s t = 4 s

O p o s itiv e d ire c tio n

0 .4 m 0 .7 m 1 .0 m 1 .3 m

distance traveled in
the first second
 An object is moving with uniform acceleration.

Its positions at one-second interval are shown below.

t = 0 s t = 1 s t = 2 s t = 3 s t = 4 s

O p o s itiv e d ire c tio n

0 .4 m 0 .7 m 1 .0 m 1 .3 m

distance traveled in
the second second.
 An object is moving with uniform acceleration.

Its positions at one-second interval are shown below.

t = 0 s t = 1 s t = 2 s t = 3 s t = 4 s

O p o s itiv e d ire c tio n

0 .4 m 0 .7 m 1 .0 m 1 .3 m

distance traveled in
the third second
 An object is moving with uniform acceleration.

Its positions at one-second interval are shown below.

t = 0 s t = 1 s t = 2 s t = 3 s t = 4 s

O p o s itiv e d ire c tio n

0 .4 m 0 .7 m 1 .0 m 1 .3 m

distance traveled in
the fourth second
 An object is moving with uniform acceleration.

Its positions at one-second interval are shown below.

t = 0 s t = 1 s t = 2 s t = 3 s t = 4 s

O p o s itiv e d ire c tio n

0 .4 m 0 .7 m 1 .0 m 1 .3 m

0.4 , 0.7 , 1.0 , 1.3 is an arithmetic progression with a

common difference 0.3.

This is an important characteristic of motion with

uniform acceleration.
 ACCELERATION
Acceleration is the change in speed in an object in a period of
time.
Where do the units come from? change in
velocity (m/s) Δv
a=v÷t
acceleration
a = m/s ÷ s a Δt
(m/s/s)
a = m/s/s change in
=m/s2 time (s)

It takes a cyclist 20 seconds to go from

a standing start to 14m/s.
What is their acceleration? a = Δv/Δt a = 14m/s / 20s a = 0.7ms-2
What is 14m/s in km/hr? = 14 × 60s × 60min ÷ 1000m
= 50.4km/hr
 Acceleration
ΔV
Acceleration = change in velocity (in m/s)
(in m/s2) time taken (in s)
A T

• A cyclist accelerates from 0 to 10m/s in 5 seconds. What is her

acceleration?
• A ball is dropped and accelerates downwards at a rate of 10m/s2
for 12 seconds. How much will the ball’s velocity increase by?
• A car accelerates from 10 to 20m/s with an acceleration of 2m/s2.
How long did this take?
• A rocket accelerates from 1,000m/s to 5,000m/s in 2 seconds.
What is its acceleration?
 SPEED/TIME GRAPHS
Using the speed/time graph:
3. What distance is covered in part 1?
d=v×t
Speed
d = 4m/s × 10s 8
(m/s)
d = 40 m
4
4. What is the total distance covered?

Part 1 = 40m
10 20 30
Part 2 = 0m Time (sec)
Part 3 = 0m
Part 5 = v × t = 8m/s × 10 s = 80m
Part 4 = v × t × = 8m/s × 5s × = 20m
Total = 40 + 80 + 20 =140m
 ACCELERATION QUESTIONS
What would these look like on a speed/time graph?
1. stopped

2. slow

3. fast

4. accelerating
 Velocity-time graphs
1) Upwards line = 4) Downward line =
Constant
80 constant accel
acceleration opposite direction

60
Velocity
m/s
40

20

0 T/s
10 20 30 40 50
3) Upwards line =
2) Horizontal line =
constant accel,
Constant velocity slower velocity
 80

60
Velocity
m/s 40

20
T/s
0
10 20 30 40 50

1) How fast was the object going after 10 seconds?

2) What is the acceleration from 20 to 30 seconds?
3) What was the deceleration from 30 to 50s?
4) How far did the object travel altogether?
Which car (red, green, or blue) experiences the greatest acceleration?

Blue car has the greatest acceleration

Match the car to the graph

Match the car to

the appropriate
graph line.
 MORE RESOURCES
• http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSCI/PHYS/C
• http://www.fearofphysics.com/Xva/xva.html
• http://www.quia.com/rr/121411.html?AP_rand=
• http://www.physics4kids.com/files/motion_veloc