Here we will look at the major differences between Acceleration and Velocity.
Comparison Table
| Comparison Basis | Velocity | Acceleration |
| Meaning | It alludes to the speed of an object in a given direction. | Acceleration implies any change in the velocity of an object with respect to time |
| Calculated With | Displacement | Velocity |
| What is its Nature? | Vector | Vector |
| What is it? | Rate of change of displacement | Rate of Change of Velocity |
| Formula | Displacement/Time (d/t) | Change in velocity/Time (v/t) |
| Ascertains | How fast is an object moving, and in which direction | How fast an object’s velocity changes with time. |
| Unit of Measurement | meter/second (m/s) | meter/second2 (m/s2) |
Acceleration
Acceleration is a vector quantity that is defined as the rate at which an object changes its velocity. An object is accelerating if it is changing its velocity. As velocity is an example of vector, it has direction and magnitude. So we can explain the acceleration in any of these three ways:
- a change in direction (from East to North-East)
- a change in both speed and direction (from 72 km/h North to 24 km/h South)
- a change in speed, the magnitude of the velocity (from 72 km/h to 24 km/h)
