What is the difference between velocity and acceleration?
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity.
An object moving at ANY constant speed in the same direction has zero acceleration.
Velocity and acceleration are both concepts used in physics to describe the motion of an object, but they represent different aspects of motion.
Velocity is a vector quantity that indicates the rate at which an object changes its position. It includes both the speed of the object and its direction of motion. The formula for calculating velocity is:
Velocity = Displacement / Time
To find the velocity of an object, you need to know its displacement (change in position) and the time it takes for that displacement to occur. For example, if an object moves 50 meters in 10 seconds in a straight line, its velocity would be 5 meters per second.
Acceleration, on the other hand, measures the rate at which an object's velocity changes. It is also a vector quantity, meaning it has magnitude and direction. Acceleration can occur when an object speeds up, slows down, or changes direction. The formula for acceleration is:
Acceleration = Change in Velocity / Time
To calculate acceleration, you need to know the change in velocity and the time it takes for that change to occur. For instance, if an object's velocity changes from 5 m/s to 15 m/s over a period of 2 seconds, its acceleration would be 5 m/s^2 (meters per second squared).
In summary, velocity represents an object's speed and direction of motion, while acceleration represents the rate of change of velocity.