What is the formula for calculating acceleration?

• A. change in velocity x time
• B. velocity/time
• C. change in velocity/time
• D. mass/force

Answer: (C)

The formula for calculating acceleration is defined as the change in velocity divided by the time over which the change occurs. This relationship illustrates how quickly an object increases its speed or changes direction.

In physics, acceleration is often measured in meters per second squared (m/s²) and is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. When you calculate acceleration using the change in velocity, you are essentially determining how much the speed of the object changes per unit of time.

For instance, if a car increases its velocity from 20 meters per second to 40 meters per second over a period of 5 seconds, the change in velocity is 20 m/s. Dividing this change by the time interval (5 seconds) gives you an acceleration of 4 m/s².

This fundamental understanding helps in various applications in physics, such as analyzing the motion of objects and understanding the effects of forces.