Name: _________________________
Acceleration is the rate of change in the speed of an object. To determine the rate of acceleration, you use the
formula below. The units for acceleration are meters per second per second or m/s2.
A positive value for acceleration shows speeding up, and negative value for acceleration shows slowing down.
Slowing down is also called deceleration. The acceleration formula can be rearranged to solve for other
variables such as final speed (vf) and time (t).
EXAMPLES
1. A skater increases her velocity from 2.0 m/s to 10.0 m/s in 3.0 seconds. What is the skater’s acceleration?
Looking for Solution
Acceleration of the skater
Given
Beginning speed = 2.0 m/s
Final speed = 10.0 m/s
Change in time = 3 seconds The acceleration of the skater is 2.7 meters per second
Relationship per second.
2. A car accelerates at a rate of 3.0 m/s2. If its original speed is 8.0 m/s, how many seconds will it take the car
to reach a final speed of 25.0 m/s?
Looking for Solution
The time to reach the final speed.
Given
Beginning speed = 8.0 m/s; Final speed = 25.0 m/s `
Acceleration = 3.0 m/s2 The time for the car to reach its final speed is 5.7
Relationship seconds.
2 of 2
1. While traveling along a highway a driver slows from 24 m/s to 15 m/s in 12 seconds. What is the
automobile’s acceleration? (Remember that a negative value indicates a slowing down or deceleration.)
2. A car traveling at a speed of 30.0 m/s encounters an emergency and comes to a complete stop. How much
time will it take for the car to stop if it decelerates at -4.0 m/s2?
3. A cart rolling down an incline for 5.0 seconds has an acceleration of 4.0 m/s2. If the cart has a beginning
speed of 2.0 m/s, what is its final speed?
4. As she climbs a hill, a cyclist slows down from 25 mi/hr to 6 mi/hr in 10 seconds. What is her deceleration?
5. Atom Ant is traveling with an initial velocity of 20.0 cm/s. He begins to accelerate at a rate of 8.00 cm/s 2 for
5.00 s. What is his total displacement in the 5.00 second interval?
6. A bus moving at a speed of 20.0 m/s begins to slow at a rate of 3.00 m/s2. Find how far it goes before
stopping.
