Acceleration 11-3

Acceleration =

A change in speed (Velocity) or direction in an amount of time

Speed 2 - Speed1 / tV2 – V1 / t

Acceleration

Units = m / s2

Units =

meters / second /second

Change in speed Formula

Change in speed = Final Speed – Initial Speed

Change in speed = 10 m/sec - 4 m/secChange in speed = 6 m/sec

Slow down—is accelerating

Acceleration is speeding up

Slowing down is called Deceleration or Negative Acceleration

Constant Acceleration =

A steady change in velocityThe velocity changes by the

same amount each second

Positive Acceleration Graph

Increase at a constant rate = straight line

Slope of line = acceleration

Negative Acceleration Graph

Decrease at a constant rate = straight line sloping downward

Slope is negative (Down)

Distance-Time Graph

Nonlinear graph

Curve connects the data points

that are plotted

Constant High Speed

Constant Low Speed

Varying Speed

Not Moving