How do you calculate average acceleration?

[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