Velocity Calculator

How to Calculate Velocity

Velocity is a fundamental concept in physics that describes the rate of change of an object's position with respect to time. This calculator helps you determine velocity, initial velocity, acceleration, or time when you know the other variables.

What is the Formula?

The basic formula relating velocity, initial velocity, acceleration, and time is:

\[ v = v_0 + at \]

Where:

• v is the final velocity (typically measured in m/s or km/h)
• v₀ is the initial velocity (in the same units as v)
• a is the acceleration (typically measured in m/s² or km/h²)
• t is the time (typically measured in seconds or hours)

What are the calculation steps?

1. Identify which three variables you know and which one you need to calculate.
2. Ensure all units are consistent (convert if necessary).
3. Apply the appropriate formula based on what you're calculating.
4. Perform the calculation to get your result.

Example Calculation

Let's calculate the final velocity of a car:

Given:

• Initial velocity (v₀) = 10 m/s
• Acceleration (a) = 2 m/s²
• Time (t) = 5 s

Step 1: Identify the formula

We need to calculate final velocity, so we'll use: v = v₀ + at

Step 2: Plug in the values

v = 10 m/s + (2 m/s² × 5 s)

Step 3: Perform the calculation

v = 10 m/s + 10 m/s = 20 m/s

Therefore, the final velocity of the car is 20 meters per second.

Diagram of Velocity, Acceleration, and Time Relationship

The following diagram illustrates the relationship between velocity, acceleration, and time:

This diagram shows a velocity-time graph for an object with constant acceleration. The slope of the line represents the acceleration, while the y-intercept represents the initial velocity. The area under the line represents the displacement of the object.