ACCELERATION

A MEASURE OF HOW QUICKLY THINGS SPEED UP OR SLOW DOWN

 Acceleration
• Acceleration is related to VELOCITY

• When velocity INCREASES, you are SPEEDING UP

• When velocity DECREASES, you are SLOWING DOWN

• Acceleration can be explained as the “Change in Velocity Over Time”

• Direction MATTERS so we use VECTORS!

 IF ACCELERATION IS
POSITIVE, WE ARE
SPEEDING UP!
+
IF ACCELERATION IS
NEGATIVE, WE ARE
SLOWING DOWN!
 Acceleration
Change in velocity Δv
a = =
Change in time Δt
0 seconds 10 seconds

20 mph 10 mph 5 mph

...
Jorge SLOWED DOWN in order to stop at the cross walk, he DECREASED HIS
VELOCITY in 10 seconds.
This is also called DECELERATION.
 Units?...
miles
Δv hour miles 1 miles
a = = = x =
Δt hour hour hour hour 2

m
The most common unit for acceleration is
s2
 Example
Luna the cat was running at 15 meters per second (m/s) toward a bowl
of milk, when suddenly she sees a dog in an alleyway! Luna increases her
speed to 25 m/s within 5 seconds. What was her acceleration?
m m m
∆ Velocity vEnd − vStart 25 s − 15 s 10 s m
= = = = 2
∆ Time tEnd − tStart 5s−0s 5s s2

Start End
15 m/s 25 m/s

0 seconds 5 seconds
Example

Hercules started walking towards Megara at 5 meters

per second (m/s) when suddenly Hades appeared!
Hercules then ran at a speed of 45 m/s in 10 seconds
to rescue Megara. What was his acceleration?

Answer: (45 – 5) / 10 = 4 m/s2

Is There Acceleration?

10 m/s 10 m/s 10 m/s

NO

10 m/s 15 m/s 20 m/s

YES
Is There Acceleration? YES!
10 m/s 10 m/s
There is also
acceleration when
velocity CHANGES
DIRECTION!
This is called
10 m/s
CENTRIPETAL
ACCELERATION