Acceleration Calculator

This acceleration calculator works out how quickly velocity changes, using the definition that acceleration is the change in velocity divided by the time taken. Acceleration is the rate at which something speeds up or slows down, measured in metres per second squared, and it is one of the foundations of mechanics, linking directly to force through Newton's second law. You enter the starting velocity, the finishing velocity and the time over which the change happens, and the calculator returns the acceleration. It also works in reverse: choose to solve for the final velocity, the initial velocity or the time instead, and enter the values you do know. A positive result means the object is gaining speed, while a negative result means it is slowing down, which is often called deceleration. As a reference point, one g, the acceleration you feel from gravity at the Earth's surface, is about 9.81 metres per second squared, so a car that reaches 100 kilometres per hour in around three seconds is pulling close to one g. Keep your units consistent, using metres per second for the velocities and seconds for the time to get an answer in metres per second squared. This is a core physics tool for motion problems and a useful way to make sense of vehicle performance figures. Enter your values to see the result straight away.

Use metres per second for velocities and seconds for time to get metres per second squared. Estimate only.