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Ready: acceleration may change with time, so velocity changes by different amounts.

Variable Acceleration

Position · velocity · acceleration

Motion experiment

Mission: vary acceleration and connect the changing vector to the car and graph.

Motion controls

Acceleration2.0 m/s²

Starting velocity5.0 m/s

Change rate0.20 Hz

a = Δv ÷ Δt · v(t+Δt) = v(t) + aΔt

Simulation

Simulation speed1.00×

Live motion data

0.00 stime

0.00 mposition

5.00 m/svelocity

2.00 m/s²acceleration

Tap the car, vectors, road marker or graph point for a short explanation.

Camera & tracking

Teacher tools

Touch pen, colors, vectors, graph stamps, geometric shapes, text and image import.

Interactive audio lesson

Language

Narrator

Narration speed

Step 1 / 100%

Embedded recordable audio ready. No microphone is used.

Narration plays as clear, boosted tab audio for external screen or tab recording. No built-in recorder is included.

What to watch

Teacher transcript

Chapters

Learning objectives

Distinguish position, velocity and acceleration.
Explain how changing acceleration changes velocity.
Interpret positive, zero and negative acceleration.
Connect acceleration with the slope of a velocity–time graph.
Predict motion from a changing acceleration profile.

Key equations

Average acceleration = change in velocity ÷ change in time

Small-step velocity: v new = v old + aΔt

Small-step position: x new = x old + vΔt

Jerk = change in acceleration ÷ change in time

Suggested experiments

Set acceleration positive and watch velocity grow every second.
Set acceleration to zero while the car is moving.
Apply negative acceleration until the car reverses direction.
Compare sinusoidal acceleration with a steadily rising ramp.

Questions for exploration

Can velocity be positive while acceleration is negative?
When is the velocity graph steepest?
What does changing acceleration feel like in a real vehicle?

Common misconceptions

Negative acceleration does not always mean slowing down; signs of velocity and acceleration must be compared.
Zero acceleration can mean constant non-zero velocity.
Acceleration describes change in velocity, not simply high speed.

Real-world applications

Cars in traffic, roller coasters, elevators, rockets, sports motion and automated vehicles all experience acceleration that changes with time.

Variable acceleration quiz

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Choose an answer for instant feedback.