MODULE3
ACCELERATION
W H AT D O E S I T M E A N F O R A N O B J E C T T O
A C C E L E R AT E ? H O W C A N W E C A L C U L AT E I T ?
MODULE 3
ACCELERATION
• Acceleration – the rate at which velocity changes
–Can be an:
• Increase in speed
• Decrease in speed
• Change in direction
• It is a vector quantity.
TYPES OF ACCELERATION
• Increasing speed
– Example: Car speeds up at green light
• Decreasing speed
– Example: Car slows down at stop light
screeeeech
• Changing Direction
– Example: Car takes turn (can be at constant speed)
CALCULATING ACCELERATION
• If an object is moving in a straight line
Final _ speed Initial _ Speed
Accelerati on
Time
Units of acceleration:
m/s2
Acceleration is simply expressed as velocity per seconds. And
Velocity as meter per seconds. So the SI notation is m/s2
CALCULATING ACCELERATION
Final _ Speed Initial _ Speed
Acceleration
Time
16m / s 0m / s
4s
4m / s 2
Initial Final
0s 1s 2s 3s 4s
0 m/s 4 m/s 8 m/s 12 m/s 16 m/s
CHALLENGE QUESTION
A car does not change its speed, but it is accelerating. How is
this possible?
The car is changing direction! (A change in direction is a change in velocity)
GRAPHING
ACCELERATION
PRACTICE
GRAPHING ACCELERATION
• Can use 2 kinds of graphs
–Velocity vs. time
–Distance vs. time
Velocity
You can use a graph to
calculate acceleration.
• The slope of a velocity vs
time graph is acceleration.
–This graph shows a constant
velocity and zero
acceleration.
• This graph shows a
direct relationship with
increasing velocity over time.
This is positive acceleration.
–This graph shows a inverse
relationship with decreasing
velocity over time. This is
negative acceleration.
GRAPHING ACCELERATION: SPEED VS. TIME GRAPHS
14
12
10
Speed (m/s)
8
6
4
2
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time (s)
1)Speed is increasing with time = positive acceleration
2) Line is straight = acceleration is constant
GRAPHING ACCELERATION: SPEED VS. TIME GRAPHS
14
In Speed vs. Time graphs: 12
10
Run = 2 s
Acceleration
Speed (m/s)
8 Rise = 4 m/s
6
=Rise/Run 4
2
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
3) What is the acceleration Time (s)
of the object between time
3s and 5s?
Rise / run = 4 m/s ÷ 2 s = 2 m/s2
Distance vs Time Graphs
Positive Changing speed
acceleration in the positive
direction
Changing
speed in the
negative
direction
Negative
acceleratio
n
GRAPHING ACCELERATION: DISTANCE VS. TIME
GRAPHS
35
30
Distance (m) 25
20
15
10
5
0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s)
1)On Distance vs. Time graphs a curved line means the
object is accelerating.
2)Curved line also means your speed is changing (not
constant).
Remember slope = speed.
QUESTION: 14
12 Run = 4 s
10
Speed (m/s)
8
Above is a graph showing 6
4
the speed of a car over time. 2
0
1) How is the speed of 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time (s)
the car changing (speeding Rise = -8 m/s
up,
Slowing down, or staying the
same)? 1)The car is slowing down
2) What is this car’s
acceleration?
2)Acceleration = rise/run = -8m/s ÷4s = -2 m/s2
QUESTION: 14
12
(m/s^2)
10
(m/s)
8
VelocitySpeed
Above is a graph showing the 6
speed of a car over time. 4
0
1) What would a distance vs. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
time graph for this look like? Time (s)
Curved! Now draw it!
Distance
Helpful Hints:
Is the car moving in the positive or negative direction?
Is the car speeding up and slowing down?
Time
MATCH THE
GRAPHS
A N A LY Z I N G G R A P H S
D 1. A car speeding up when the stoplight turns
green.
A 2. A car parked in a parking lot.
C 3. A car moving at a constant speed toward the
left side of a parking lot.
E 4. A car slowing down when the stoplight turns
red.
F 5. A car moving slowly at a constant speed
toward the right side of a parking lot.
B 6. A car moving quickly at a constant speed
toward the right side of a parking lot.
