What is Acceleration?

• Definition: Acceleration is the rate at which an object changes its velocity. Velocity includes both the speed of an object and its direction of motion.

• Changes that cause acceleration:

  • Speeding up: When an object's speed increases, it's accelerating.

  • Slowing down: When an object's speed decreases, it's also accelerating (sometimes called deceleration).

  • Changing direction: Even if an object moves at a constant speed, if it changes direction, it's accelerating.

Examples of Acceleration

How is Acceleration Measured?

Formula for Acceleration