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Acceleration
Acceleration

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with respect to time*.

The unit of acceleration is the metre per second squared (m/s2)

Acceleration =change in velocity ÷ time taken

Equations of Motion
When an object (with initial velocity u ) moves in a straight line with constant acceleration a , its
displacement s from its starting point, and its final velocity v , change with time t.

Note that both v and u are instantaneous velocities.

The following equations tell us how these quantities are related:

v = final velocity

u = initial velocity

a = acceleration

s= displacement

t = time

v = u + at

1
s = ut + at2
2

v2 = u2 + 2as

Procedure for solving problems using equations of motion.

Write down v, u, a, s and t underneath each other on the left hand side of the page, filling in the
quantities you know, and put a question mark beside the quantity you are looking for.
Write down the three equations of motion every time.
Decide which of the three equations has only one unknown in it.
Substitute in the known values in to this equation and solve to find the unknown.

Velocity – Time graphs

(for an object travelling with constant acceleration)

If a graph is drawn of Velocity (y-axis) against Time (x-axis), the slope of the graph is the acceleration of the
object.

Note that the area under the graph corresponds to the distance travelled.

Acceleration due to gravity: '* g *'

In the absence of air resistance, all objects near the Earth's surface will fall with the same acceleration.

This acceleration is called acceleration due to gravity .

Its symbol is 'g'.

The value of g on the surface of the Earth is 9.8 m/s 2

We mention 'on the surface of the earth' because the value of g decreases as you move further away from
the surface. We will see why when we study Gravitation.

We can now use this value when using equations of motion.

Notes

Because we take the upward direction as positive, and because g is acting downwards, we take g to be
minus (-) 9.8 m s -2 when answering maths questions (i.e. the initial velocity is usually opposite in
direction to acceleration).

If an object is released from rest it means that initial velocity is 0 (u = 0).

At the highest point of a trajectory, the (instantaneous) velocity is zero (object is not moving upwards or
downwards).

Also at the highest point of the trajectory, while the velocity is zero, the object is still accelerating at -9.8
m s-2

Derivation of the Three Equations of Motion

Mandatory Experiment
To measure acceleration
To measure acceleration due to gravity using a Free-Fall Apparatus

Leaving Cert Physics Syllabus: Acceleration

Work done accelerating = change in kinetic energy

MEASUREMENT OF ACCELERATION
APPARATUS : Ticker timer and tape, a.c. power supply, trolley, runway

DIAGRAM
PROCEDURE

1. Set up the apparatus as in the diagram.

2. Connect the ticker timer to a suitable low-voltage power supply.

3. Allow the trolley to roll down the runway.

4. The trolley is accelerating as the distance between the spots is increasing.

5. The time interval between two adjacent dots is 0.02 s, assuming the ticker timer marks fifty dots per
second.

6. Mark out five adjacent spaces near the beginning of the tape. Measure the length s1.

7. The time t1 is 5 × 0.02 = 0.1 s.

8. We can assume that the trolley was travelling at constant velocity for a small time interval. Thus initial
velocity u = distance/time = s1/t1

9. Similarly mark out five adjacent spaces near the end of the tape and find the final velocity v.

10. Measure the distance s in metres from the centre point of u to the centre point of v.

11. The acceleration is found using the formula: v2 = u2 + 2as or a = (v2 -u2) ÷ 2s

12. By changing the tilt of the runway different values of acceleration are obtained. Repeat a number of
times.

13. Tabulate results as shown.

RESULTS

CONCLUSION

We set out to measure acceleration and at the end of the day that's exactly what we did. We conclude with
the ardent wish that not all experiments are this mind-numbingly boring.

NOTES

1. Ignore the initial five or six dots on the tape since the trolley may not be moving with constant
acceleration during this time interval.
2. Ticker timers that use pre-carbonated tape are recommended because the friction due to paper drag is
reduced.
3. Ensure that the voltage rating of the timer is not exceeded.
4. Some timers make one hundred dots in one second.
MEASUREMENT OF ACCELERATION DUE TO
GRAVITY (g) USING THE FREEFALL METHOD
APPARATUS : Millisecond timer, metal ball, trapdoor and electromagnet.

DIAGRAM

PROCEDURE

1. Set up the apparatus as shown. The millisecond timer starts when the ball is released and stops when
the ball hits the trapdoor.

2. Measure the distance s using a metre stick.

3. Flick the switch to release the ball and record the time t from the millisecond timer.

4. Repeat for different values of s.

5. Calculate the values for g using the equation s = (g/2) t2. Obtain an average value for g.

6. Draw a graph of s against t2 and use the slope to find a value for g (g will be twice the slope).

RESULTS

CONCLUSION

When we plotted the graph, the slope worked out to be 4.85, which resulted in a value for g of 9.9 m s-2
which is pretty damn close to the theoretical value of 9.8 m s-2. Conclusion? We rock!

PRECAUTIONS / SOURCES OF ERROR

1. For each height s repeat three times and take the smallest time as the correct value for t.
2. Place a piece of paper between the ball bearing and the electromagnet to ensure a quick release.
3. Remember to convert from milliseconds to seconds.

NOTE

Both points 1 and 2 above are associated with the problem that even though you switch off the power for the
electromagnet (and in so doing switch on the timer) it will not lose its magnetism immediately, therefore the
ball will not fall straight away. This means that the reading on the timer will always be (slightly) longer than
the time for which the ball was dropping.

Exam questions
1. [2006][2002 OL][2004 OL][2008 OL][2009 OL]

Define velocity.

2. [2002 OL][2004 OL][2008 OL]

Define acceleration.

3. [2005 OL]

A car accelerates from 10 m/s to 30m/s in 5 seconds. What is its acceleration?

4. [2002 OL]

An aircraft was travelling at a speed of 60 m/s when it landed on a runway. It took two minutes to stop.
Calculate the acceleration of the aircraft while coming to a stop.

5. [2004 OL]

A cheetah can go from rest up to a velocity of 28 m/s in just 4 seconds and stay running at this velocity for a
further 10 seconds. (i) Sketch a velocity−time graph to show the variation of velocity with time for the
cheetah during these 14 seconds. (ii) Calculate the acceleration of the cheetah during the first 4 seconds.

6. [2008]

In a pole-vaulting competition an athlete sprints from rest and reaches a maximum velocity of 9.2 m/s after
3 seconds. He maintains this velocity for 2 seconds before jumping. (i) Draw a velocity-time graph to
illustrate the athlete's horizontal motion. (ii) Use your graph to calculate the distance travelled by the athlete
before jumping.

7. [2008 OL]

A speedboat starts from rest and reaches a velocity of 20 m/s in 10 seconds. It continues at this velocity for a
further 5 seconds. The speedboat then comes to a stop in the next 4 seconds.

(i) Draw a velocity-time graph to show the variation of velocity of the boat during its journey. (ii) Use your
graph to estimate the velocity of the speedboat after 6 seconds. (iii) Calculate the acceleration of the boat
during the first 10 seconds. (iv) What was the distance travelled by the boat when it was moving at a
constant velocity?

8. [2007]

A car is travelling at a velocity of 25 m/s when the engine is then turned off; calculate how far the car will
travel before coming to rest if the deceleration is 1.47 m/s2

9. [2009]

A skateboarder starts from rest at the top of a ramp and accelerates down it. The ramp is 25 m long and the
skateboarder has a velocity of 12.2 m/s at the bottom of the ramp.

Calculate the acceleration of the skateboarder on the ramp.

10. [2010 OL]

The cyclist starts from rest and by pedalling maintains an acceleration of the cyclist of 0.5 m s -2 along a
horizontal road. 1. (i)Calculate the maximum velocity of the cyclist after 15 seconds. 2. (ii) Calculate the
distance travelled by the cyclist during the first 15 seconds. 3. (iii)The cyclist stops peddling after 15
seconds and continues to freewheel for a further 80 m before coming to a stop.

Calculate the time taken for the cyclist to travel the final 80 m?

11. [2009 OL]

A train started from a station and accelerated at 0.5 m s-2 to reach its top speed of 50 m/s and maintained
this speed for 90 minutes.

As the train approached the next station the driver applied the brakes uniformly to bring the train to a stop in
a distance of 500 m.

1. (i)Calculate how long it took the train to reach its top speed.
2. (ii)Calculate how far it travelled at its top speed.
3. (iii)Calculate the acceleration experienced by the train when the brakes were applied.

12. [2010]

The graph shown represents the motion of a cyclist on a journey.

Using the graph, calculate the distance travelled by the cyclist and the average speed for the journey.

13. [2003 OL][2006 OL]

What is meant by the term acceleration due to gravity?

14. [2005]

A basketball which was resting on a hoop falls to the ground 3.05 m below.

What is the maximum velocity of the ball as it falls?

15. [2006 OL]

An astronaut drops an object from a height of 1.6 m above the surface of the moon and the object takes 1.4
s to fall. Calculate the acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the moon.

16. [2003 OL]

(i) An astronaut is on the surface of the moon, where the acceleration due to gravity is 1.6 m s-2 The
astronaut throws a stone straight up from the surface of the moon with an initial speed of 25 m/s. Describe
how the speed of the stone changes as it reaches its highest point. (ii) Calculate the highest point reached by
the stone. (iii) Calculate how high the astronaut can throw the same stone with the same initial speed of 25
m/s when on the surface of the earth, where the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m s-2.
17. [2003]

A skydiver falls from an aircraft that is flying horizontally. He reaches a constant speed of 50 m/s after falling
through a height of 1500 m. Calculate the vertical acceleration of the skydiver.

18. [2006]

The student releases the ball when is it at A, which is 130 cm above the ground, and the ball travels
vertically upwards at an initial velocity of 7 m/s. Calculate the maximum height, above the ground, the ball
will reach.

19. [2006]

The student releases the ball when is it at A, which is 130 cm above the ground, and the ball travels
vertically upwards at an initial velocity of 7 m/s. Calculate the time taken for the ball to hit the ground after
its release from A.

Mandatory experiments
20. [2004 OL]

Describe an experiment to measure the velocity of a moving object.

21. [2008 OL]

A student carried out an experiment to find the acceleration of a moving trolley.

The student measured the velocity of the trolley at different times and plotted a graph which was then used
to find its acceleration. The table shows the data recorded.

Velocity (m/s) 0.9 1.7 2.5 3.3 4.1 4.9

 Velocity (m/s) 0.9 1.7 2.5 3.3 4.1 4.9

Time (s) 0 2 4 6 8 10

1. (i)Describe, with the aid of a diagram, how the student measured the velocity of the trolley.
2. (ii)Using the data in the table, draw a graph on graph paper of the trolley's velocity against time. Put
time on the horizontal axis (X-axis).
3. (iii)Find the slope of your graph and hence determine the acceleration of the trolley.

22. [2002 OL]

You have carried out an experiment to measure g, the acceleration due to gravity.

(i). Draw a labelled diagram of the apparatus you used. (ii). Describe the procedure involved in measuring
the time in this experiment. (iii). As well as measuring time, what other measurement did you take? (iv).
Outline how you got a value for g from your measurements. (v). Name one precaution you took to get an
accurate result.

23. [2009 OL][2013 OL]

You carried out an experiment to measure g, the acceleration due to gravity.

(i). Draw a labelled diagram of the apparatus you used. (ii). State what measurements you took during the
experiment. (iii). Describe how you took one of these measurements. (iv). How did you calculate the value of
g from your measurements? (v). Give one precaution that you took to get an accurate result.

24. [2009]

s / cm 30 50 70 90 110 130 150

t/ms 247 310 377 435 473 514 540

In an experiment to measure the acceleration due to gravity, the time t for an object to fall from rest through
a distance s was measured. The procedure was repeated for a series of values of the distance s. The table
shows the recorded data.

1. (i)Draw a labelled diagram of the apparatus used in the experiment.

2. (ii)Indicate the distance s n your diagram.
3. (iii)Describe how the time interval t was measured.
4. (iv)Calculate a value for the acceleration due to gravity by drawing a suitable graph based on the
recorded data.
5. (v)Give two ways of minimising the effect of air resistance in the experiment.

25. [2004]

In an experiment to measure the acceleration due to gravity g by a free fall method, a student measured the
time t for an object to fall from rest through a distance s.

This procedure was repeated for a series of values of the distance s.

The table shows the data recorded by the student.

s /cm 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

t/ms 244 291 325 342 371 409 420

1. (i)Describe, with the aid of a diagram, how the student obtained the data.
2. (ii)Calculate a value for g by drawing a suitable graph.
3. (iii)Give two precautions that should be taken to ensure a more accurate result.

Exam solutions