Acceleration

Acceleration
• Acceleration In everyday language means the
process of speeding up. In science its definition is
more precise…
• In science acceleration refers to…
• Increasing speed
• Decreasing speed
• Changing direction
Acceleration
• Acceleration is the rate at which velocity changes.
• To determine the acceleration of an object moving
in a straight line, you calculate the change in speed
per unit of time.
Changing Speed
• Whenever an object’s speed changes the
object accelerates.
• When a light turns green a car accelerates.
Just as a car speeds up, it can also slow down,
sometimes this is called deceleration, or
negative acceleration.
Changing Direction

• Even an object traveling at a constant speed

can be accelerating.
• Acceleration can mean a change in direction
in addition to a change in speed.
Changing
Direction
Runners accelerate as they
round a curve in the track.
Cars accelerate as they
follow a curve in the road.
A good example of this
type of motion are the
seats on a Ferris wheel,
they accelerate because
they move in a circle.
Calculating Acceleration

• You can use both speed vs. time graph and a

distance vs. time graph to analyze the motion of
an accelerating object.
• Caution!! Speed-Time graphs look like Distance-Time
graphs.
• Be sure to read the labels!!!
 Speed vs. Time
Speed vs. Time
12

10

Speed (m/s)
6
Slope = Rise/Run
4 2 m/s / 1 s = 2 m/s2

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Time (s)
DISTANCE-TIME GRAPHS
• In a Distance-Time
graph the Y axis is
the distance from
start an object has
traveled.
• A straight line
represents a
stationary object.
SPEED-TIME GRAPHS
• In a Speed-Time graph
the Y axis is the speed
an object is moving
• A straight line
represents constant
speed.
THE END