Instantaneous Acceleration

Definition

Instantaneous acceleration refers to how quickly an object's velocity changes at a specific moment in time. It is calculated by finding the derivative of the object's velocity function with respect to time.

Analogy

Imagine riding a roller coaster where your seat has sensors measuring your acceleration every millisecond. Instantaneous acceleration would be like looking at those measurements right after passing over each hill or loop, giving you the exact rate at which your velocity is changing.

Related terms

Average Acceleration: The change in velocity divided by the time taken for an object's motion.

Deceleration: A negative acceleration that occurs when an object slows down.

Tangential Acceleration: The component of acceleration that acts along the direction of motion.