What are the units of acceleration?

The units of acceleration are metres per second squared (m/s²).

Acceleration is a measure of how quickly an object's velocity changes over time. In physics, velocity is the speed of an object in a specific direction. When an object speeds up, slows down, or changes direction, it is accelerating. The standard unit of acceleration in the International System of Units (SI) is metres per second squared, abbreviated as m/s². This unit tells us how much the velocity of an object changes every second.

To understand this better, let's break it down. If an object has an acceleration of 1 m/s², it means that its velocity increases by 1 metre per second every second. For example, if a car starts from rest and accelerates at 2 m/s², after one second, its velocity will be 2 m/s. After two seconds, its velocity will be 4 m/s, and so on.

Acceleration can be calculated using the formula:
\[ a = \frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t} \]
where \( a \) is acceleration, \( \Delta v \) is the change in velocity, and \( \Delta t \) is the change in time. The change in velocity (\( \Delta v \)) is measured in metres per second (m/s), and the change in time (\( \Delta t \)) is measured in seconds (s). When you divide metres per second by seconds, you get metres per second squared (m/s²).

In summary, the unit of acceleration, metres per second squared, helps us quantify how quickly an object's speed is changing. This is a fundamental concept in physics, especially when studying motion and forces.