Acceleration is a physical quantity that represents the rate at which an object changes its velocity. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. In other words, acceleration describes how quickly and in what direction an object's speed changes.
Acceleration is commonly measured in meters per second squared (m/s²). This unit of measurement represents the amount of acceleration an object experiences in meters per second for every second of time that passes. For example, if an object has an acceleration of 5 m/s², it means that its speed increases by 5 meters per second every second.
Another frequently used unit of measurement for acceleration is feet per second squared (ft/s²), particularly in the United States. This unit of measurement is similar to meters per second squared, except it measures acceleration in feet per second for every second of time that passes.
Acceleration can also be measured in units of gravity, such as G-forces. One G-force is equivalent to the force of gravity at the Earth's surface, which is approximately 9.8 m/s². This unit of measurement is commonly used in aviation, space travel, and other high-speed applications to describe the amount of force an object is experiencing.
You can calculate acceleration using our acceleration calculators.
