Question about the units of acceleration?

In summary, acceleration is measured in meters per second per second and can be expressed in different units such as meters per half second per second or meters per second per minute. However, the dimension remains the same as length divided by the square of time. The unit and number together convey the same meaning regardless of the chosen standard length and time intervals.
  • #1
kattahk
1
0
The general unit if acceleration is meter per second per second.

Let's play with the unit of the standard acceleration due to gravity which is 9.8 meter per second per second.

Thus how acceleration can be explained if its unit is expressed as 4.9 meter per half second per second or 588 meter per second per minute or 35280 meter per second per hour.
 
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  • #2
All you've done is change the units.

The dimension is still length/(time^2), so it's still an acceleration.
 
  • #3
It's no more mysterious than the room I'm in being 8ft long, and also 2.4m long, and 0.0024km long. I can't communicate anything helpful by saying "it's this long", so we agree on a standard length and write a distance as multiples of that length. If we agree different standard lengths then the same distance is a different number of standard lengths.

Acceleration is a bit more complex because you've got a standard length and two standard time intervals to play with, but the principle is the same. The number doesn't mean anything on its own. The unit on its own doesn't mean anything. The number times the unit means the same thing whether you choose ms-2 or atto-parsecs per micro-fortnight per nano-year.
 
  • #4
Is there a question here?
 
  • #5


Acceleration can be described as the rate of change of velocity over time. This means that for every second that passes, the velocity of an object will increase by 4.9 meters per half second, 588 meters per minute, or 35280 meters per hour. These units may seem unconventional, but they still represent the same concept of acceleration. In fact, the units of acceleration can be adapted to fit different scenarios and measurements, as long as they follow the standard unit of meters per second per second. This flexibility allows for a better understanding and application of acceleration in various scientific fields.
 

What is the unit of acceleration?

The unit of acceleration is meters per second squared (m/s²).

How is acceleration measured?

Acceleration can be measured using an accelerometer, which is a device that detects changes in velocity over time.

What is the difference between acceleration and velocity?

Acceleration is the rate at which the velocity of an object changes, while velocity is the speed and direction of an object's motion.

Can acceleration be negative?

Yes, acceleration can be negative when the velocity of an object is decreasing, such as when it is slowing down or moving in the opposite direction.

What are some real-life examples of acceleration?

Some real-life examples of acceleration include a car speeding up or slowing down, a roller coaster going up or down a hill, and a person jumping off a diving board into a pool.

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