Scientific Ontology

a

Mechanics

Acceleration

Rate of change of velocity.

metre per second squared (m/s²)

Dimension: $[\,L T^{-2}\,]$

How values of acceleration span the physical world (in m/s², log scale).

Sprinter start

4.00 × 10⁰ m/s²

Gravity on Earth

9.81 × 10⁰ m/s²

Fighter jet

9.00 × 10¹ m/s²

Bullet in barrel

10⁶ m/s²

Lower limit10^-2 m/s²Upper limit10⁶ m/s²

Newton's Second Law

\vec{F} = m\vec{a}

SUVAT (velocity)

v = u + at

SUVAT (displacement)

s = ut + \tfrac{1}{2}at^2

SUVAT (velocity squared)

v^2 = u^2 + 2as

Centripetal Acceleration

a = \dfrac{v^2}{r} = r\omega^2

SHM Acceleration

a = -\omega^2 x