What is velocity and acceleration?
Before getting into the difference between velocity and acceleration, it is important to know each term separately.
Speed
Speed is the physical quantity that measures the relationship between the space traveled and the time elapsed.
Acceleration
For its part, acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over time. In other words, it measures how much the speed changes of an object in a certain period.
Differences between speed and acceleration
The main difference between velocity and acceleration is that the former only measures the distance an object travels in a unit of time, while the latter measures the change in the speed of that object.
Velocity is a vector quantity, since it implies a direction and a sense. For its part, acceleration is a scalar magnitude that only measures the change in speed, without indicating a direction or sense.
How are they calculated?
Speed calculation
To calculate speed, divide the distance traveled by the time it took to travel that distance:
Speed = Distance / Time
Acceleration calculation
To calculate acceleration, divide the change in velocity by the time it took for that change to occur:
Acceleration = (Final Velocity – Initial Velocity) / Time
Example
Let's imagine that a car travels at a constant speed of 60 kilometers per hour for 1 hour. The distance traveled would be:
60 km/h x 1 h = 60 km
In this case, the speed is 60 km/h.
On the other hand, if a car increases its speed from 0 to 60 km/h in 5 seconds, the acceleration would be:
Acceleration = (60 km/h – 0 km/h) / 5 s = 12 m/s²
In this case, the acceleration is 12 meters per second squared.
Conclusion
In summary, velocity and acceleration are two physical quantities that measure different aspects of the movement of an object. Speed is the distance traveled in a certain time, while acceleration measures the change in speed over a period of time.
It is important to take these differences into account in order to correctly understand the movement of objects and their behavior in different situations.
- Speed: measures the distance traveled in a given time.
- Acceleration: measures the change in velocity over a period of time.
- Speed calculation: distance traveled divided by time.
- Acceleration calculation: change in speed divided by time.
I am Sebastián Vidal, a computer engineer passionate about technology and DIY. Furthermore, I am the creator of tecnobits.com, where I share tutorials to make technology more accessible and understandable for everyone.