Select the best answer for the question.
13. In which of the following units is acceleration expressed?
A. Kilograms
B. Newtons
C. Meters per second squared
D. Foot-pounds
Answer (1)
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with respect to time.
Velocity is measured in meters per second (m/s).
Acceleration is measured in meters per second squared (m/s 2 ).
Therefore, the correct answer is C: Meters per second squared. C
Explanation
Understanding the Question The question asks us to identify the correct units for acceleration from a list of options.
Defining Acceleration Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity with respect to time. Velocity is measured in units of distance per time (e.g., meters per second or m/s). Therefore, acceleration is measured in units of (distance per time) per time, which simplifies to distance per time squared (e.g., meters per second squared or m/s 2 ).
Analyzing the Options Now, let's examine the given options:
A. Kilograms: Kilograms are units of mass.
B. Newtons: Newtons are units of force.
C. Meters per second squared: This matches our derived units for acceleration (m/s 2 ).
D. Foot-pounds: Foot-pounds are units of energy or work.
Identifying the Correct Answer Based on our analysis, the correct units for acceleration are meters per second squared.
Examples
Understanding acceleration is crucial in many real-world scenarios. For example, when designing a car, engineers need to calculate the acceleration to determine how quickly the car can reach a certain speed. Similarly, in sports, understanding acceleration helps athletes improve their performance, such as a sprinter increasing their speed off the starting block. Knowing the units of acceleration (m/s 2 ) allows for accurate calculations and predictions in these situations.
