Acceleration Lesson 1C Unit 1 Motion Conceptual Physics

Learning Objectives Describe and analyze motion in one dimension using equations with the concept of acceleration In other words - How do you describe how an object is changing its velocity?

Terms Acceleration

Acceleration When the measured quantity is a change in velocity, the rate is called acceleration Since velocity is a vector, acceleration is also a vector

Mathematically Acceleration is velocity change divided by time Can be positive or negative depending on the sign of velocity (time interval is always positive)

Units Acceleration is a ratio of velocity to time, so the magnitude units will be… Examples include: m/s2, km/h2

Graphical Interpretation Slope is ‘rise over run’ or the change in the y-axis value divided by the change in the x-axis value On a velocity versus time graph, the slope is the change in velocity divided by the change in time, which is the definition of acceleration So, acceleration is the slope of a velocity versus time graph

Instantaneous Velocity Remember - velocity is the slope found on a position and time graph When the line is straight, finding the slope is straight forward When the line is not straight, then the instantaneous velocity can be found by the slope of a tangent line at the particular point in time