1. Acceleration
Chapter 2 Section 2

2. Acceleration
Acceleration – The quantity that describes the rate of change of velocity in a given time interval.
Average Acceleration – The average change in velocity divided by the change in time.

3. Acceleration Equation
𝑎 𝑎𝑣𝑔 = ∆𝑣 ∆𝑡 = 𝑣 𝑓 − 𝑣 𝑖 𝑡 𝑓 − 𝑡 𝑖
𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛= 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒

4. Acceleration Units The SI units for acceleration “m/s²”
Acceleration = velocity/time = m/s/s = m/s²

5. Acceleration Vector Acceleration is a vector quantity
Has both magnitude and direction
Since acceleration is a vector, it can have a positive or negative value.
If acceleration and velocity are in the same direction, the object speeds up.
If the acceleration and velocity are in opposite directions, the object slows downs.

6. Acceleration Chart Vi a Motion + - + or - Speeding up Slowing down
Constant velocity
Speeding up from rest
Remains at rest

7. Graphing Linear Motion
The slope and shape of a single graph can describe the motion of an object’s displacement, velocity, and acceleration vs. time.
Slope = rise / run
Rise – Dependant Variable (y-axis)
Run – Independent Variable (x-axis)

8. Relating Displacement, Velocity and Acceleration
On a Displacement vs. Time graph
Rise / Run = Slope
Displacement / Time = Velocity
The tangent line of a single point on a (d vs. t) graph is equal to the instantaneous velocity at that moment in time.
On a Velocity vs. Time graph
Velocity / Time = Acceleration
The tangent line of a single point on a (v vs. t) graph is equal to the instantaneous acceleration at that moment in time.

9. Graphing Hints d vs. t V vs. t a vs. t => => => Slope Area
Slope = Velocity
V vs. t
Slope = Acceleration
a vs. t
Area = Velocity
V vs. t
Area = Displacement
=>
=>
=>

10. Graph of a Single Object In Motion
displacement
vs.
time
velocity
vs.
time
acceleration
vs.
time d v a t t t

11. Object In Free Fall displacement vs. time velocity vs. time
acceleration
vs.
time d v a t t t