AccelerationGwen Nytes

What Is Acceleration?

•Acceleration – A measure of how quickly velocity is changing

How Do You Measure Acceleration?• The equation for measuring acceleration is:

▫Final velocity – initial velocity / time• If you’re driving in a car and you’re speed is

increasing, it would be positive acceleration. If you’re slowing down or coming to a stop sign you’re speed is decreasing, so it would be negative acceleration

• Example: Let’s say you start out traveling 45 mph. 32 minutes later, you’re speedometer reads 55 mph.▫You would figure it out by taking the final velocity, 55,

minus the original velocity, 45. 55-45=10Then you would take 10 and divide it by the time, 32. 10/32=.3125. This means that you accelerated .3125 miles per minute.

LAB

Objective

•Show a person’s acceleration as they roll down a hill. Calculate their acceleration from point to point.

Materials

•4 volunteers•3 stopwatches•Hill•Calculator•Meter stick (distance of hill)

Precedure

•Measure the distance of the hill•Set 3 points where 3 stopwatches are•Have someone roll down hill•Start timers when they start rolling•When person reaches each timer, stop the

watch•Measure speed at each point•Measure acceleration from point to point