← Back to lesson

Acceleration: the basics

Free notes · JEE Main Physics

Formulas

a=dvdt=d2xdt2a = \frac{dv}{dt} = \frac{d^2 x}{dt^2}

Acceleration as derivatives of velocity and position

Worked example

The acceleration of a body starting from rest is a = 2 m/s² for 4 s, then zero for 2 s. Find its velocity at t = 6 s.

  1. Area under the a–t graph = change in velocity.
  2. Area = 2 m/s² × 4 s = 8 m/s (the last 2 s add nothing).

Answer: 8