Acceleration Calculator
Acceleration (m/s²)
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Distance Covered (m)
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Average Velocity (m/s)
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How to Calculate Acceleration
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity: a = (v - u) / t, where v is final velocity, u is initial velocity, and t is time. Positive acceleration means speeding up; negative (deceleration) means slowing down. Units are meters per second squared (m/s²).
This calculator also computes distance traveled using the kinematic equation: d = ut + ½at², and average velocity as (u + v) / 2. These equations assume constant (uniform) acceleration, which is a good approximation for many real-world scenarios.
Earth's gravitational acceleration is approximately 9.81 m/s². A car accelerating from 0 to 60 mph (26.8 m/s) in 6 seconds has acceleration of about 4.47 m/s². Understanding acceleration is essential in physics, engineering, and automotive performance analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the formula for acceleration?
a = (v - u) / t, where v is final velocity, u is initial velocity, and t is time elapsed. Units are m/s².
What is negative acceleration?
Negative acceleration (deceleration) means an object is slowing down. The velocity is decreasing over time.
What is gravitational acceleration?
On Earth, gravitational acceleration is approximately 9.81 m/s² (32.2 ft/s²). All freely falling objects accelerate at this rate regardless of mass (ignoring air resistance).
How do you find distance from acceleration?
Use d = ut + ½at², where u is initial velocity, a is acceleration, and t is time.