Mathematics Clinic > Grade 9 Mathematics
How do you calculate average acceleration?
(1/1)
dalyningkenk:
I'm studying for my science test, and this is one of the things we have to know. Do you know what the formula is?
theo:
The simple answer is change in velocity divided by the change in time.
(delta)v/(delta)t
this is also defined as dv/dt or d^2 x/dt^2 (or the second derivative of position with respect to time) for a calculus definition.
so say you had a car moving 6m/s and in 10 seconds it accelerated to 26 m/s. the way to calculate average acceleration would be the change in velocity (final velocity minus initial velocity) divided by the time in which the change took place. (26m/s - 6m/s)/10s. this will give you (20m/s)/10s. which means the average acceleration was 2m/s/s or 2 m/s^2.
hope this helped.
theo:
a = (vf - vi)/t is the definition
vf is final speed
vi is initial speed
t is elapsed time
here are the 3 other kinematics equations rearranged, such that a is isolated:
a = (vf² - vi²)/2d
a = 2[d - (vi)(t)]/t²
a = 2[d + (vf)(t)]/t²
Navigation
[0] Message Index
Go to full version