wikiHow Calculating Acceleration Calculator To calculate acceleration, you need to know the change in velocity and the time it takes to make that change. The formula for acceleration is: a = (v2 - v1) / t where: a = acceleration v2 = final velocity v1 = initial velocity t = time To use this formula, follow these steps: 1. Determine the final velocity (v2) and initial velocity (v1) of the object whose acceleration you want to calculate. Make sure both velocities are in the same units (e.g. meters per second). 2. Determine the time (t) it takes for the object to go from the initial velocity to the final velocity. Make sure the time is in seconds. 3. Subtract the initial velocity (v1) from the final velocity (v2). 4. Divide the difference in velocity by the time (t). Example: Suppose a car goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5 seconds. What is the car's acceleration? 1. Convert the final velocity to meters per second: 60 miles per hour = 26.8224 meters per second 2. The initial velocity is 0 meters per second. 3. The difference in velocity is 26.8224 m/s - 0 m/s = 26.8224 m/s 4. The time is 5 seconds. 5. Plug the values into the formula: a = (v2 - v1) / t = (26.8224 m/s - 0 m/s) / 5 s = 5.3645 m/s^2 Therefore, the car's acceleration is 5.3645 meters per second squared. Page