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The average acceleration is a vector quantity (magnitude and direction) that describes the rate of
change (with the time) of the velocity of a moving object.
An object with initial velocity v0 at time t0 and final velocity v at time t has an average acceleration
between t0 and t given by
average acceleration =
v - v0
t - t0
or
average acceleration =
change in velocity
change in time
?v
?t
Example 1: What is the acceleration of an object that moves with uniform velocity?
Solution:
If the velocity is uniform, let us say V, then the initial and final velocities are both equal to V and the
definition of the acceleration gives
average acceleration =
V-V
t - t0
=0
Example 2: A car accelerates from rest to a speed of 36 km/h in 20 seconds. What is the acceleration
of the car in m/s2?
Solution:
The initial velocity is 0 (from rest) and the final velocity is 36 km/h. Hence
average acceleration =
36 km/h - 0
20 seconds
36 km/h
20 seconds
Hence
average acceleration =
10 m/s
20 seconds
= 0.5 m/s2
Example 3: A car slows down from a speed of 72 km/h to rest in 25 seconds. What is the acceleration
of the car in m/s2?
Solution:
The initial velocity is 72 km/h and the final velocity is 0 (rest). Hence
average acceleration =
0-72 km/h
25 seconds
-72 km/h
25 seconds
Hence
average acceleration =
- 20 m/s
25 seconds
= -0.8 m/s2
Example 4: A plane has a take off speed of 300 km/h. What is the acceleration in m/s2 of the plane if
the plane started from rest and took 45 seconds to take off?
Solution:
The initial velocity is 0 (from rest) and the final velocity is 300 km/h (take off). Hence
average acceleration =
300 km/h - 0
45 seconds
300 km/h
45 seconds
Hence
average acceleration =
83.3 m/s
45 seconds
= 1.85 m/s2
Example 5: What acceleration is needed to accelerate a car from 36 km/h to 72 km/h in 25 seconds?
Solution:
The initial velocity is 36 km/h and the final velocity is 72 km/h, hence
average acceleration =
72 km/h - 36 km/h
25 seconds
36 km/h
25 seconds
average acceleration =
10 m/s
25 seconds
= 0.4 m/s2
Example 6:Starting with a constant velocity of 50 km/h, a car accelerates for 32 seconds at an
acceleration of 0.5 m/s2 . What is the velocity of the car at the end of the period of 32 seconds of
acceleration?
Solution:
50 km/h is the initial velocity; we are given the acceleration and we asked to find the final velocity.
V - 50 km/h
32 second
Example 7: How long does it take to accelerate a car from a speed of 50 km/h to a speed of 100 km/h
at an acceleration of 1 m/s2?
Solution:
The initial velocity is 50 km/h and the final velocity is 100 km/h and we are given the acceleration
t
The above equation gives the equation
1 m/s2 * t = 50 km/h