What is the rate of change of velocity called?

What is the rate of change of velocity called?

• A. Momentum
• B. Acceleration
• C. Speed
• D. Displacement

Answer: (B)

The rate of change of velocity is referred to as acceleration. Acceleration measures how quickly an object's velocity changes over time, which can occur in either magnitude (speeding up or slowing down) or direction (changing direction while maintaining speed). For example, if a car speeds up from rest to a certain velocity, or if it takes a turn while maintaining its speed, both scenarios involve acceleration. The formal definition of acceleration can be expressed mathematically as the change in velocity divided by the time over which that change occurs. The other terms do not represent the rate of change of velocity. Momentum refers to the product of an object's mass and its velocity, giving a measure of its motion that incorporates mass. Speed is a scalar quantity that only describes how fast an object is moving, without regard to direction. Displacement is a vector quantity that reflects the change in position of an object, also not accounting for how quickly or in what manner the velocity changes. Therefore, acceleration distinctly signifies the rate of change of velocity.

The rate of change of velocity is referred to as acceleration. Acceleration measures how quickly an object's velocity changes over time, which can occur in either magnitude (speeding up or slowing down) or direction (changing direction while maintaining speed).

For example, if a car speeds up from rest to a certain velocity, or if it takes a turn while maintaining its speed, both scenarios involve acceleration. The formal definition of acceleration can be expressed mathematically as the change in velocity divided by the time over which that change occurs.

The other terms do not represent the rate of change of velocity. Momentum refers to the product of an object's mass and its velocity, giving a measure of its motion that incorporates mass. Speed is a scalar quantity that only describes how fast an object is moving, without regard to direction. Displacement is a vector quantity that reflects the change in position of an object, also not accounting for how quickly or in what manner the velocity changes. Therefore, acceleration distinctly signifies the rate of change of velocity.