Grasping Acceleration

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What is acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over time.

How is acceleration calculated?

Acceleration = (Final velocity - Initial velocity) / Time.

What are common units for acceleration?

Meters per second squared (m/s²).

What does a positive acceleration indicate?

An increase in velocity.

What does a negative acceleration (deceleration) mean?

A decrease in velocity.

How can acceleration occur without changing speed?

By changing the direction of motion.

If a car’s velocity changes from 0 to 60 km/h in 5 seconds, what is its acceleration?

3.33 km/h per second (converted to consistent units: approximately 0.93 m/s²).

What is uniform acceleration?

Acceleration that is constant over time.

How does an increase in force affect acceleration?

Increased force generally leads to increased acceleration (according to Newton's Second Law).

What does zero acceleration imply about velocity?

The velocity is constant.

What role does mass play in acceleration?

More mass requires more force to achieve the same acceleration (Newton's Second Law).

If a bicycle comes to a stop, what type of acceleration is this?

Negative acceleration or deceleration.

How is acceleration different from velocity?

Acceleration is the change of velocity over time; velocity is the speed with direction.

What does an acceleration of 9.8 m/s² down mean?

The object is accelerating downwards at 9.8 meters per second squared, typically due to gravity on Earth.

Name a situation where acceleration is zero but speed is not.

A car moving at a constant speed in a straight line.