Difference between revisions of "Acceleration"
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The rate of change of an object's [[velocity]].<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Physical Science''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000</ref>. For an object to undergo an acceleration, a [[force]] needs to be exerted on the object. An example is a falling object on [[Earth]], which is subject to a [[gravity|gravitational force]]. The resulting acceleration ''g'' is independent of the mass of the object, and is approximately 9.81 [[meters]] per [[second]] per [[second]] near the Earth's surface<ref>Marcelo Alonso and Edward J. Finn, ''Fundamental University Physics'', Addison-Wesley.</ref>. | The rate of change of an object's [[velocity]].<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Physical Science''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000</ref>. For an object to undergo an acceleration, a [[force]] needs to be exerted on the object. An example is a falling object on [[Earth]], which is subject to a [[gravity|gravitational force]]. The resulting acceleration ''g'' is independent of the mass of the object, and is approximately 9.81 [[meters]] per [[second]] per [[second]] near the Earth's surface<ref>Marcelo Alonso and Edward J. Finn, ''Fundamental University Physics'', Addison-Wesley.</ref>. | ||
| − | Calculation of acceleration is done with the formula <math>F= | + | Calculation of acceleration is done with the formula <math>\vec F=m \vec a</math>, where F=force and is measured in Newtons, m=mass and is measured in kilograms, and a=acceleration and is measured in meters per second squared. Using the formula we can find that <math> \vec a=\frac{\vec F}{m}</math>. |
If an object's acceleration and [[velocity]] have the same sign, the object is gaining [[speed]]. If acceleration and velocity have different signs, the object is losing speed. | If an object's acceleration and [[velocity]] have the same sign, the object is gaining [[speed]]. If acceleration and velocity have different signs, the object is losing speed. | ||
Revision as of 03:42, October 31, 2007
The rate of change of an object's velocity.[1]. For an object to undergo an acceleration, a force needs to be exerted on the object. An example is a falling object on Earth, which is subject to a gravitational force. The resulting acceleration g is independent of the mass of the object, and is approximately 9.81 meters per second per second near the Earth's surface[2].
Calculation of acceleration is done with the formula 
, where F=force and is measured in Newtons, m=mass and is measured in kilograms, and a=acceleration and is measured in meters per second squared. Using the formula we can find that 
.
If an object's acceleration and velocity have the same sign, the object is gaining speed. If acceleration and velocity have different signs, the object is losing speed.
If velocity is zero, acceleration is not necessarily zero. If acceleration is zero, velocity is not necessarily zero.
