September 28, 2025

What Is Acceleration

Q: What is negative acceleration?

Negative acceleration, often called deceleration, is simply acceleration in the direction opposite to the object's current velocity. It means the object is slowing down.

Q: Is acceleration a vector or a scalar quantity?

Acceleration is a vector quantity because it has both magnitude (how much the velocity is changing) and direction (the direction of the change).

Learn the definition of acceleration in physics. Understand that acceleration is any change in velocity, including speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction.

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Defining Acceleration

In physics, acceleration is the rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. An object is accelerating if it is speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. Because velocity includes both speed and direction, a change in either one results in acceleration.

Example of Acceleration

Imagine a car starting from a stoplight. If it goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour, it is accelerating because its speed is increasing. If that same car is driving in a circle at a constant 30 miles per hour, it is also accelerating because its direction is constantly changing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is negative acceleration?

Is acceleration a vector or a scalar quantity?