# Velocity time graph &instantaneous acceleration

How can you find the instantaneous accelertation of an object whose curve on the velocity-time graph is a straight line?????

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James R
Homework Helper
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a=dv/dt.

Acceleration is the gradient of the velocity-time curve at any point.

apm
acceleration = (velocity 2 - velocity 1)/ (time 2 -time1)

karaonstage said:
How can you find the instantaneous accelertation of an object whose curve on the velocity-time graph is a straight line?????
Only just a straight line? Then
$$\forall n > 1,\;\frac{{d^n v}}{{dt^n }} = 0$$
over the interval containing this line

*karaonstage, simply find the slope of this line, and you will thus calculate the acceleration of the object.
If the slope $= 0$, the object simply doesn't accelerate (travels at constant velocity).

Above is correct. But next time, try to think to yourself, what is acceleration. Change in velocity over time, well, if you have a velocity vs time graph, than a change in velocity over time IS your slope.