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Acceleration Calculator

Blake Boege
Written by Blake Boege · Founder, Calculator Answers

An acceleration calculator computes the rate of change of an object's velocity over time. It supports two main modes: kinematic acceleration using the formula a = (v - v₀)/t, and dynamic acceleration using Newton's Second Law of Motion (a = F/m). It converts inputs between metric and imperial units and displays results in meters per second squared (m/s²), feet per second squared (ft/s²), and g-force.

Calculate physical acceleration in two modes: from velocity change over time (a = Δv/Δt) or from applied force and mass (a = F/m). Supports multiple unit options.

See also: Velocity Calculator and Force Calculator.

Quick Answer

Compute physical acceleration using kinematics (change in velocity over time) or dynamics (applied force and mass). Supports unit conversions and step-by-step formulas.

Solve method

e.g. 0

e.g. 100

e.g. 5

Acceleration

Acceleration (a)

20 m/s²

Solving method: a = Δv/Δt

Acceleration (m/s²)20 m/s²
Acceleration (ft/s²)65.6168 ft/s²
Gravity Equivalent (g force)2.0394 g

SI units: m/s² · US Customary: ft/s² · Gravity reference: 1g = 9.80665 m/s²

Step-by-Step Calculation

[1]Identify variables and units:
[2] Initial Velocity (v₀) = 0 m/s
[3] Final Velocity (v) = 100 m/s
[4] Time interval (t) = 5 s
[5]Convert to standard SI units (meters and seconds):
[6] v₀ = 0 m/s
[7] v = 100 m/s
[8] t = 5 s
[9]Apply kinematic acceleration formula: a = (v - v₀) / t
[10] a = (100 - 0) / 5
[11] a = 100 / 5 = 20 m/s²
[12]Convert resulting acceleration to other common units:
[13] In ft/s²: a = 20 / 0.3048 ≈ 65.6168 ft/s²
[14] In g force: a = 20 / 9.80665 ≈ 2.0394 g
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Examples

0 to 100 m/s in 5 seconds (Velocity Change)

Acceleration = 20 m/s² · ft/s² equivalent ≈ 65.617 · G force ≈ 2.039g

50 Newtons of force on 10 kg mass (Force & Mass)

Acceleration = 5 m/s² · ft/s² equivalent ≈ 16.404 · G force ≈ 0.510g

60 mph to a stop in 3 seconds

Deceleration ≈ -8.9408 m/s² · ft/s² equivalent ≈ -29.333 · G force ≈ -0.912g

How it works

Acceleration is computed depending on the physical parameters available:

Formula from Velocity Change (Kinematics)

a = (v − v₀) / t

Formula from Force and Mass (Newton's Second Law)

a = F / m

Understanding Units of Acceleration

The standard International System (SI) unit for acceleration is meters per second squared (m/s²). This represents how many meters per second the velocity increases (or decreases) each second. In US Customary units, feet per second squared (ft/s²) is common. For high-speed applications like aerospace, acceleration is often expressed in terms of G-force (g), comparing it to Earth's gravity.

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For other physics and movement calculations, check out:

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Velocity CalculatorCalculate velocity from distance and time or from initial velocity, acceleration, and time. Features vector direction support.Force CalculatorCalculate force using F = ma (Newton's 2nd Law), F = mg (weight), or F = kx (spring force) with unit conversions.

Frequently asked questions

Acceleration is the rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. In physics, acceleration is a vector quantity (meaning it has both magnitude and direction) and can represent speeding up, slowing down (deceleration), or changing direction.

When calculating acceleration from a change in velocity over a time interval, the formula is a = (v - v₀) / t, where v is the final velocity, v₀ is the initial velocity, and t is the elapsed time.

Newton's Second Law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. The mathematical formula is F = ma, which rearranges to a = F / m.

Gravitational acceleration is the acceleration experienced by an object in free fall due to gravity. Near Earth's surface, this standard value is approximately 1g = 9.80665 m/s² (or about 32.174 ft/s²).

Velocity is the rate of change of an object's position (how fast and in what direction it is moving). Acceleration is the rate of change of that velocity (how fast its speed or direction is changing).