Calculate the rate of change in velocity over time
How to Calculate Acceleration
Acceleration is a fundamental concept in physics that describes how quickly an object changes its velocity. Whether an object is speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction, it is undergoing acceleration.
The Acceleration Formula
To calculate average acceleration, you need to know the change in velocity and the time it took for that change to occur. The standard formula is:
a = (v_f – v₀) / Δt
a: Acceleration (measured in m/s²)
v_f: Final Velocity
v₀: Initial Velocity
Δt: Time Interval
Step-by-Step Example
Imagine a car starts from rest (0 m/s) and reaches a speed of 20 m/s in 4 seconds. To find the acceleration:
Identify the initial velocity (v₀ = 0 m/s).
Identify the final velocity (v_f = 20 m/s).
Identify the time (t = 4 s).
Subtract v₀ from v_f: 20 – 0 = 20.
Divide by time: 20 / 4 = 5.
The acceleration is 5 m/s².
Types of Acceleration
Positive Acceleration: When an object's velocity increases over time (speeding up in a positive direction).
Negative Acceleration (Deceleration): When an object's velocity decreases over time (slowing down).
Centripetal Acceleration: Acceleration experienced by an object moving in a circular path, even if its speed remains constant, because its direction is changing.
Common Units of Acceleration
While the standard SI unit is meters per second squared (m/s²), acceleration can also be expressed in:
Kilometers per hour squared (km/h²)
Feet per second squared (ft/s²)
Standard gravity (g-force)
function calculateAcceleration() {
var v0 = document.getElementById('initialVelocity').value;
var vf = document.getElementById('finalVelocity').value;
var t = document.getElementById('timeDuration').value;
var resultArea = document.getElementById('resultArea');
var resultText = document.getElementById('resultText');
if (v0 === "" || vf === "" || t === "") {
alert("Please fill in all fields");
return;
}
var initialV = parseFloat(v0);
var finalV = parseFloat(vf);
var time = parseFloat(t);
if (isNaN(initialV) || isNaN(finalV) || isNaN(time)) {
alert("Please enter valid numeric values");
return;
}
if (time <= 0) {
alert("Time interval must be greater than zero");
return;
}
var acceleration = (finalV – initialV) / time;
var roundedAcc = acceleration.toFixed(4);
resultArea.style.display = "block";
var output = "
Acceleration: " + roundedAcc + " m/s²
";
output += "Calculation Details:";
output += "Change in velocity: " + (finalV – initialV).toFixed(2) + " m/s";
output += "Time duration: " + time + " s";
if (acceleration > 0) {
output += "The object is accelerating (speeding up).";
} else if (acceleration < 0) {
output += "The object is decelerating (slowing down).";
} else {
output += "The velocity is constant (zero acceleration).";
}
resultText.innerHTML = output;
}