Question

If an object is moving at `60 m/s` and accelerates to `145 m/s` over 5 seconds, what was the object's rate of acceleration?

Answer 1

The acceleration is `"17 m/s"^2"`.

Explanation:

Use the formula `a=(v_f-v_i)/(Delta t)`, where `a` is acceleration, `v_i` is initial velocity, `v_f` is final velocity, and `Delta t` is time interval.

Known
`v_i="60 m/s"`
`v_f="145 m/s"`
`Delta t="5 s"`

Unknown
`a`

Solution
Substitute the known variables into the formula and solve.

`a=(v_f-v_i)/(Delta t)`

`a=(145"m/s"-60"m/s")/(5"s")`

`a=(85"m/s")/(5"s")`

`a="17 m/s"^2"`