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Acceleration is the rate at which velocity changes. An object accelerates when its speed or direction changes. Calculating acceleration at a specific moment is complex, but finding average acceleration over time is simpler.
For average acceleration, first find the change in velocity by subtracting the initial velocity from the final velocity. Then, divide by the time taken.
Imagine a cyclist speeding downhill. If his velocity increases from 1 to 6 meters per second in 5 seconds, then his average acceleration is calculated as 6 minus 1 divided by 5. This equals 1 meter per second squared.
The SI unit of acceleration is meters per second squared, meaning his velocity increases by one meter per second with each second.
What if the cyclist slows down? Suppose his velocity decreases from 6 to 2 m/s in 4 seconds.
In that case, his average acceleration will be 2 minus 6, divided by 4 seconds, which gives minus 1 m/s2. This is deceleration, indicating he’s slowing down.
