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• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Calculate two-speed acceleration
• Method 2 of 2: Calculate acceleration with a force

Have you ever tried how fast your car can accelerate from 0 to 100? What you are actually trying to measure is the acceleration of your vehicle. Acceleration is defined as an increase in the rate of speed. You can calculate the amount of acceleration, measured in meters per second per second, based on the time it takes you to go from one speed to another, or even based on a force applied to an object.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Calculate two-speed acceleration

1. Find the variables. You can calculate the average acceleration of an object over a certain period of time based on the speed (the speed at which it moves in a certain direction) before and after that time. To make this calculation you need to know the following:
   • The initial velocity (v₁)
   • The second speed (v₂)
   • The duration of the time interval (Δt) or the time at which each of the speed measurements was taken (t₁ and t₂)
2. Use the formula:Acceleration (a) = Change in speed (Δv) / Time interval (Δt) = (v₂ - v₁) / (t₁ - t₂). Subtract the initial speed from the final speed and divide the result by the time interval. The end result is your average acceleration over that time period.
   • If the final speed is less than the initial speed, the acceleration will be a negative number. Yes, you can use this same formula to measure how fast something is slowing down!
   • If you use the metric system, you will get a result in meters / second.
3. Take a look at these examples. To better understand the formula, try a few real-world gear exercises.
   • A race car accelerates smoothly from 18.5 m / s to 46.1 m / s in 2.47 seconds. To find the answer, subtract 18.5 from 46.1 to get 27.6. Then divide that by 2.47 and you get 11.17 meters / second.
   • A motorcyclist travels 22.4 m / s and stops after 2.55 s after applying his brakes. What is his delay? In this case, the end speed is zero, so zero minus 22.4 adds up to -22.4. Divide this by 2.55 to get the answer: -8.78 meters / second. This means that it slowed by an average of 8.78 meters / second until it came to a complete stop.

Method 2 of 2: Calculate acceleration with a force

1. Find the mass and the strength. Acceleration occurs when a force is applied to an object, causing it to change speed in the direction that the force is pushing or pulling it. To know what the acceleration is, at least in a vacuum, you need to know the following:
   • The strength of the force (F), measured in newtons. One newton will accelerate a kilogram at one meter per second.
   • The mass (m) of the object, measured in kilograms.
2. Use the formula:F = ma, force equals mass times acceleration. You can change this formula to find the acceleration by dividing both sides by the mass, like this: a = F / m. To find the acceleration, simply divide the force by the mass of the object being accelerated.
   • Example: a force of 10 newtons is applied evenly to a mass of 2 kilograms. Divide 10 newtons by 2 kg to get 5 meters / second.