Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity over time, which can be expressed mathematically as a = v/t, where 'v' is speed and 't' is time. The relationship between speed and acceleration indicates that acceleration is the change in speed per unit of time. In simpler terms, if an object speeds up, it has positive acceleration, while slowing down results in negative acceleration. The equation provided, s^2 = at^2 + 2bt + c, relates distance, acceleration, and time, illustrating how these concepts are interconnected. Understanding these relationships is essential for grasping the fundamentals of motion in physics.