Acceleration
Definition
Acceleration refers to the rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. It can be positive (speeding up), negative (slowing down), or zero (constant velocity).
Analogy
Imagine driving a car and stepping on the gas pedal. The faster your car goes, the greater your acceleration. If you suddenly hit the brakes, your car decelerates with negative acceleration.
Related terms
Velocity: Velocity is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction. Acceleration affects velocity by changing either its magnitude or direction.
Force: Force causes acceleration according to Newton's second law, which states that force equals mass times acceleration.
Deceleration: Deceleration refers specifically to negative acceleration when an object slows down.
"Acceleration" appears in:
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