# Why is the SI unit for acceleration m/(s^2)?

## Main Question or Discussion Point

Why is the SI unit for acceleration $$\frac{m}{s^2}$$(meters per second squared) when it is actually $$\frac{m}{\frac{s}{s}}$$ (meters per second per second). Isn't the part concerning the seconds different? Wouldn't this give you different answers sometimes, or does that usually never get in the way.

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Nabeshin
meters per second per second is the same thing as meters per second squared. If you want to do it division style, the seconds move to the denominator so you might as well write s*s as s^2.

russ_watters
Mentor
Why is the SI unit for acceleration $$\frac{m}{s^2}$$(meters per second squared) when it is actually $$\frac{m}{\frac{s}{s}}$$ (meters per second per second). Isn't the part concerning the seconds different? Wouldn't this give you different answers sometimes, or does that usually never get in the way.
The way you've written it is not correct. It is $$\frac{\frac{m}{s}}{s} = \frac{m}{s}* \frac{1}{s}$$

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Thank you. That makes a lot more sense now. So $$\frac{\frac{m}{s}}{s} = \frac{m}{s}* \frac{1}{s}=\frac{m}{s^2}$$.