Average acceleration, abbreviated as \( \bar {a} \), is the change of velocity over an elapsed amount of time. Whereas, instantaneous accleration is the change of velocity at a specific point in time. As an example, if a vehicle is initially traveling at 100 feet per second and slows down to 50 feet per second over 60 seconds, the average acceleration over 60 seconds is - 8.3 ft per second. The equation and calulation for average acceleration is shown below.
Average Acceleration Calculator
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Average Acceleration formulas
| \(\large{ \bar {a} = \frac { \Delta v } { \Delta t } }\) |
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| \(\large{ \bar {a} = \frac { v_f \;-\; v_i } { t_f \;-\; t_i } }\) |
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Where:
| Units |
English |
SI |
| \(\large{ \bar {a} }\) = average acceleration |
\(\large{\frac{ft}{sec^2)}}\) |
\(\large{\frac{m}{sec^2)}}\) |
| \(\large{ t_f }\) = final time |
\(\large{ seconds}\) |
\(\large{\frac{m}{sec}}\) |
| \(\large{ t_i }\) = initial time |
\(\large{ seconds}\) |
| \(\large{ v_f }\) = final velocity |
\(\large{\frac{ft}{sec}}\) |
\(\large{\frac{m}{sec}}\) |
| \(\large{ v_i }\) = initial velocity |
\(\large{\frac{ft}{sec}}\) |
\(\large{\frac{m}{sec}}\) |
| \(\large{ \Delta t }\) = time differential |
\(\large{ seconds}\) |
| \(\large{ \Delta v }\) = velocity differential |
\(\large{\frac{ft}{sec}}\) |
\(\large{\frac{m}{sec}}\) |
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