Acceleration Simplified Revision Notes for GCSE AQA Physics Combined Science

Revision notes with simplified explanations to understand Acceleration quickly and effectively.

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5.6.10 Acceleration

Acceleration

Definition

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Acceleration: the change of an object's velocity over a given time.

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Formula

\text{Acceleration (m/s}^2\text{)} = \frac{\text{change in velocity (m/s)}}{\text{time (s)}}

Velocity-Time Graphs

Horizontal line: Constant velocity.
Upward slope: Acceleration.
Downward slope: Deceleration.
The gradient of a velocity-time graph tells us the acceleration of the object.

Area Under the Graph

The area under the graph tells us the distance travelled in a specific direction (displacement).
If the graph has curved lines, the acceleration is not constant.
- In this case, count the total number of squares under the graph, estimating the total "parts" of squares.

The equation for Constant Acceleration

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If an object is accelerating at a constant rate, we can use this equation:

v^2 = u^2 + 2as

\text{(final velocity)}^2 = \text{(initial velocity)}^2 + 2 \times \text{acceleration} \times \text{distance}

How Objects Accelerate Towards the Earth

Initial Acceleration

When any object falls towards the surface of the earth, it initially accelerates at around 9.8 m/s².
This acceleration is due to the force of gravity acting on the object.

Air Resistance

As a skydiver falls, they experience an upward force of friction with the air particles called air resistance.
After some time, the force of air resistance balances the force due to gravity.

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