What is acceleration in physics

What Is Acceleration in Physics?

Acceleration describes how quickly the velocity of an object changes.

Acceleration occurs when an object:

* Speeds up

* Slows down

* Changes direction

The formula for acceleration is:

Acceleration = Change in Velocity ÷ Time

Example

A car increases its velocity from 10 m/s to 20 m/s in 5 seconds.

Change in velocity = 20 − 10 = 10

Acceleration = 10 ÷ 5

Acceleration = 2 m/s²

This means the car’s velocity increases by 2 meters per second every second.

Types of Acceleration

Positive acceleration:

The object speeds up.

Negative acceleration:

The object slows down (also called deceleration).

Quick Tip:

Acceleration measures how quickly velocity changes over time.

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