The word "acceleration" is spelled with four syllables: /ækˌsɛləˈreɪʃn/. The first syllable is pronounced as "ak" with a short "a" sound, the second syllable is pronounced as "sel" with a short "e" sound, the third syllable is pronounced as "uh" with a short "u" sound, and the fourth syllable is pronounced as "ray-shun" with a long "a" sound. The spelling reflects the Latin roots of the word "accelerare" meaning "to hasten". Acceleration refers to the rate at which an object changes its velocity over time.
Acceleration is a fundamental concept in physics that signifies the rate at which an object changes its velocity. It refers to the alteration in the speed or direction of an object concerning a unit of time. The formal dictionary definition describes acceleration as a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. Magnitude determines the amount by which the velocity alters, while direction denotes the path that the object takes. Acceleration can either be positive or negative, depending on whether it denotes an increase or decrease in velocity, respectively.
The measurement of acceleration is given in units of meters per second squared (m/s^2) in the International System of Units (SI). One meter per second squared represents a change in velocity of one meter per second in every second. When an object experiences zero acceleration, it means that its velocity remains constant over time. However, a non-zero acceleration implies that the velocity is varying, even if by a small amount.
Acceleration plays a crucial role in various real-world phenomena. It governs the movement of vehicles, the free fall of objects, changes in rotational speed, and the effect of forces in both natural and artificial systems. Understanding acceleration is essential for comprehending the laws of motion, as formulated by Isaac Newton, and it forms the basis of various engineering applications, including aerospace, automotive, and even sports.
An increase in rapidity.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "acceleration" has its roots in the Latin term "acceleratio", which is derived from the verb "accelerare". "Accelerare" is formed by combining the prefix "ad-" meaning "to" or "towards" and "celer", meaning "swift" or "quick". Consequently, "accelerare" signifies "to hasten" or "to make fast". Over time, "acceleration" emerged in English to describe the act of increasing speed or velocity.