Combined Science GCSE
Acceleration
What Acceleration means in Combined Science GCSE, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of Acceleration
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Reference: AQA
A quantity proportional to the resultant force acting on an object and inversely proportional to the mass of the object.
The rate of change of velocity, calculated as the change in velocity divided by the change in time.
When speed and/or direction changes, the object accelerates, so a resultant force must act.
The rate of change of velocity, so it is a vector quantity with magnitude and direction.
The rate at which velocity changes, measured in metres per second squared, m/s².
The rate of change of velocity, measured in metres per second squared (m/s²).
Topics that use Acceleration
- Acceleration (AQA GCSE)
- Newton's First Law (AQA GCSE)
- Newton's Second Law (AQA GCSE)
Related terms
- Resultant force
- Velocity
- Velocity as a vector
- Weight
- a = F ÷ m
- Acceleration and deceleration
- Acceleration of free fall
- Approximation
Using Acceleration in the exam
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