Acceleration
Acceleration! Acceleration is the change in an objects velocity over a period of time. It occurs when you press the gas pedal in a car or when you burst into a full sprint from rest. Too much acceleration can make things go crazy just like in this SNL skit where the acceleration pedal is pushed too hard.
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Direction of Acceleration
Acceleration is either positive or negative. It is positive if it is speeding up or in the direction of the velocity/motion. It is negative if the acceleration is in the opposite direction of the velocity/motion and slows down the object. Remember that some forces cause an acceleration in one direction only. For example, gravity doesn't change signs just because an object changes from going up to going down.
Further Notations
This will not be asked on any test (most likely) but it is good to know.
Position Velocity = Position/Time Acceleration = Velocity/Time |
Jerk = Acceleration/Time
Snap = Jerk/Time Crackle = Snap/Time Pop = Crackle/Time |