Acceleration

Acceleration Formula
final velocity initial velocity
acceleration =
time

a =

Vf V i
t

Example 1
Vi = 4m/s, Vf = 10m/s, t = 2 sec, a = ?
Vf Vi
t

a=

a=

a=

m m
4
s
s
2s

10

m
s
2s

a=

m
s
s

a = 3m/s/s
or 3m/s2

Example 2
Vi = 0km/hr, Vf = 100km/hr, t = 1.5 min
Vf Vi
t

a=

a=

a=

100

km km
0
hr
hr
1.5 min

km
hr
1.5 min

100

a=

66.67

km
hr
min

a = 66.67 km/hr/min

Example 3
An eagle is flying at a velocity of 10m/s west, until it sees a yummy rabbit.
After 10 seconds of chasing the rabbit, the eagles velocity is 30m/s west.
What was the acceleration of the eagle?

a=

a=

a=

Vf Vi
t

m m
30
10
s
s
10 s
m
20
s
10s

a=

m
2
s
s

a = 2 m/s/s west
or 2m/s2 west

Acceleration Units are Weird

Acceleration units are written as m/s2 or m/s/s.
These two units are the same thing.
Here is what a meter per second per second
(m/s/s) actually means.

A bike begins in a stopped position (0m/s). If the

bike has a constant acceleration of 1m/s/s, what
will its speed be after 10 seconds?
Seconds

Velocity

Seconds

0m/s

1
2

7
8

3
4
5

9
10

Velocity

A bike begins in a stopped position (0m/s). If the

bike has a constant acceleration of 1m/s/s, what
will its speed be after 10 seconds?
Seconds

Velocity

Seconds

Velocity

0
1

0m/s
1m/s

6
7

6m/s
7m/s

2
3
4
5

2m/s
3m/s
4m/s
5m/s

8
9
10

8m/s
9m/s
10m/s

Speed (m/s)

Speed vs. Time

11

10
9
8

Graph it!

7
6
5
4

3
2
1
0

6
5
Time (s)

10

Conclusion:
The bikes speed is increasing by 1 m/s every
second.
The bike is accelerating at 1 m/s/s or 1 m/s2.

A car begins at a stopped position (0m/s). If

the car has a constant acceleration of 5 m/s/s,
what will its speed be after 10 seconds?

Speed vs. Time

Vf Vi

Speed (m/s)

7
6

at

5
4

Find the acceleration of the

object between 0 and 8 seconds.

3
2
1
0

Time (s)

a=

m
s

m
s

8s

a = 1 m/s/s or 1 m/s2

Speed vs. Time

Vf Vi

Speed (m/s)

7
6

at

5
4

Find the acceleration of the

object between 3 and 8 seconds.

3
2
1
0

Time (s)

a=

m
s

m
s

5s

a = 0.6 m/s/s or 0.6 m/s2

Speed vs. Time

Vf Vi

Speed (m/s)

7
6

at

5
4

Find the acceleration of the

object between 0 and 10 seconds.

3
2
1
0

10
Time (s)

15

20

a=

m
s

m
s

10 s

a = 0.8 m/s/s or 0.8 m/s2

Slope on a Speed vs. Time Graph

The SLOPE of a speed vs. time graph is equal to the
acceleration.
The rise divided by the run is the same as the change in
velocity (Vf-Vi) divided by the time.
change in
velocity

rise
=
run

Vf Vi
t

SLOPE = ACCELERATION

speed

speed

Speed is constant

speed

Deceleration

Acceleration

time

time

Speed increases
with time.

Speed decreases
with time.

time
Speed stays
the same

Speed vs. Time

7
Speed (m/s)

ST

5
4

Find the distance that the object

traveled between 0 and 8 seconds.

3
2
1
0

Time (s)

D=

SxT

D=

7 m
s

56m

8s

Speed vs. Time

Speed (m/s)

7
6

ST

5
4

Find the distance that the object

traveled between 0 and 8 seconds.

3
2
1
0

Time (s)

D=

SxT

D=

2 m
s

16m

8s

Speed vs. Time

Speed (m/s)

7
6

ST

5
4

Find the distance that the object

traveled between 0 and 5 seconds.

3
2
1
0

Time (s)

D=

SxT

D=

4 m
s

20m

5s

End

Distance vs. Time Graphs

The SLOPE of a distance vs. time graph is speed.
The rise divided by the run of this graph is the same as the
distance divided by the time.

rise =
run

D
T

SLOPE = SPEED

Acceleration

time
Speed is constant
because time and
distance increase
at the same rate.

No motion

distance

distance

distance

No Acceleration

time
This is acceleration
because distance
increases faster
than time.

time
There is no motion
because distance
has not changed.

Y
time

Distance vs. Time

distance / position

speed

Speed vs. Time

F
G
time

decelerating

Acceleration
Speed is increasing
with time.

Deceleration
Speed is decreasing
with time.

Speed is constant.
No acceleration
No deceleration

The slope of a speed vs. time graph is the acceleration.