GCSE Physics

speedometerAcceleration

Acceleration is defined as being:

acceleration = change in speed / time taken

In the case of the Lotus (see previous page), its acceleration is:

acceleration = 60 / 5.8 = 10.3 mph / s

Notice the odd unit for acceleration - it's a "velocity" per "time". What 10.3 mph/s means, of course, is that every second the car's velocity increases by 10.3 mph.


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