What is the term for the rate of change of velocity?

The rate of change of velocity is referred to as acceleration. This term describes how quickly an object is speeding up or slowing down over a given period of time. Acceleration can occur in various forms, such as linear acceleration (change in speed in a straight line) or angular acceleration (change in speed in rotational movement). It is measured in units of distance per time squared (e.g., meters per second squared).

Understanding acceleration is fundamental in physics because it not only helps describe motion but also allows predictions about an object’s future position and speed. It is the key concept that links how forces affect an object's state of motion, as articulated in Newton's Second Law of Motion, which states that the force acting on an object equals its mass times its acceleration. Thus, acceleration provides a vital framework for analyzing and understanding the changes in motion.