{"id":61525,"date":"2021-02-04T14:46:54","date_gmt":"2021-02-04T12:46:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/?p=61525"},"modified":"2026-10-01T13:47:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T10:47:42","slug":"acceleration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/physics\/acceleration\/","title":{"rendered":"Acceleration Calculator"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"not-prose calculator-box\" aria-labelledby=\"calculator-title\"><div class=\"flex items-baseline sm:items-center justify-between gap-2 sm:gap-3\"><div class=\"flex flex-col sm:flex-row sm:items-center gap-2\"><span class=\"icon icon-calculator text-primary-700! text-base! dark:text-primary-300!\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><h2 id=\"calculator-title\" class=\"text-lg font-display font-bold\">Calculate Acceleration From Force<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"calcdash-favorite group\">\n  <button type=\"button\" class=\"favorite\" id=\"favorite\" data-favorite-id=\"61525\" data-favorite-title=\"Acceleration\" data-favorite-url=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/physics\/acceleration\/\" data-favorite-excerpt=\"Calculate acceleration from Newton&#039;s second law: enter the force applied in newtons and the object&#039;s mass in kilograms, and the calculator returns acceleration in m\/s\u00b2.\" aria-label=\"Add to Favorites\" data-favorite-icon=\"icon icon-physic\">\n    <span class=\"icon icon-shape-star-empty\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\n  <\/button>\n  <div class=\"calcdash-favorite__tip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n   <span class=\"favorite-tooltip\" id=\"favorite-tooltip\"><\/span>\n  <\/div>\n  <span class=\"sr-only\" role=\"status\" id=\"favorite-status\"><\/span>\n<\/div><\/div><form action=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/physics\/acceleration\/\" method=\"POST\" class=\"calculator\" id=\"calculator-61525\" data-post=\"61525\"><fieldset class=\"fieldset-input\"><legend class=\"sr-only\">Input Fields<\/legend><div class=\"field\" id=\"input-1\"><label for=\"field-1\">Force<\/label><input type=\"number\" name=\"force\" id=\"field-1\" aria-describedby=\"calc-unit-1\" step=\"0.01\" value=\"10\"\/><div class=\"unit\" id=\"calc-unit-1\">N<\/div><\/div><div class=\"field\" id=\"input-2\"><label for=\"field-2\">Mass<\/label><input type=\"number\" name=\"mass\" id=\"field-2\" aria-describedby=\"calc-unit-2\" step=\"0.01\" value=\"2\"\/><div class=\"unit\" id=\"calc-unit-2\">kg<\/div><\/div><\/fieldset><div class=\"buttons\"><button type=\"submit\" data-text=\"Re-Calculate\" id=\"calculate-button\" data-post=\"61525\">Calculate<\/button><button type=\"reset\">Reset<\/button><\/div><div class=\"field is-checkbox hidden!\" id=\"field-auto-calc\"><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"auto-calc\"><label for=\"auto-calc\">Calculate automatically<\/label><small>If enabled, the result will update automatically when you change any value.<\/small><\/div><div class=\"fieldset-result is-hidden\" aria-labelledby=\"result-title\" aria-live=\"polite\" role=\"region\"> <h3 class=\"result-title bg-gradient-to-r from-primary-50 to-gray-50 dark:from-primary-900 dark:to-gray-800\" id=\"result-title\"><span class=\"icon icon-s-pulse\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span> Your Results<\/h3><div class=\"result-box\"><div class=\"field-result\" id=\"output-1\"><span class=\"field-title\"><span>Acceleration<\/span><\/span><span class=\"field-value\" id=\"result-1\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"copy-result\" data-tooltip=\"Copy Result\" aria-label=\"Copy Result\"><span class=\"copy-icon icon icon-document-copy\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><\/div><div class=\"result-actions\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"copy-link\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"currentColor\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M12.232 4.232a2.5 2.5 0 0 1 3.536 3.536l-1.225 1.224a.75.75 0 0 0 1.061 1.06l1.224-1.224a4 4 0 0 0-5.656-5.656l-3 3a4 4 0 0 0 .225 5.865.75.75 0 0 0 .977-1.138 2.5 2.5 0 0 1-.142-3.667l3-3Z\"\/><path d=\"M11.603 7.963a.75.75 0 0 0-.977 1.138 2.5 2.5 0 0 1 .142 3.667l-3 3a2.5 2.5 0 0 1-3.536-3.536l1.225-1.224a.75.75 0 0 0-1.061-1.06l-1.224 1.224a4 4 0 1 0 5.656 5.656l3-3a4 4 0 0 0-.225-5.865Z\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"copy-link__text\">Copy link to this calculation<\/span><\/button><span class=\"sr-only\" role=\"status\" id=\"copy-link-status\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><a href=\"#respond\" class=\"hidden transition-opacity duration-300 opacity-0 w-50 text-sm justify-center items-center gap-2 px-4 py-2 rounded bg-gray-200 text-gray-700 hover:bg-gray-300\" id=\"leave-comment\"><span class=\"icon icon-comments\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>Leave a Comment<\/a><\/form><\/section><section id=\"calc-reactions\" class=\"not-prose hidden my-12 bg-gradient-to-r from-primary-50 to-gray-50 border border-indigo-100 rounded-xl px-6 py-4 shadow-sm\" data-post=\"61525\" aria-live=\"polite\" aria-labelledby=\"calc-reactions-title\"><p id=\"calc-reactions-title\" class=\"text-sm text-gray-500 text-center mb-2\">How did this result make you feel?<\/p><div role=\"group\" aria-labelledby=\"calc-reactions-title\" class=\"grid grid-cols-3 sm:flex sm:flex-row sm:justify-around gap-4 sm:items-center sm:flex-wrap\"><button type=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"reaction-btn flex flex-col items-center gap-1 text-sm text-gray-700 hover:text-primary-600 cursor-pointer transition-transform hover:scale-105\" data-reaction=\"like\"><span class=\"reaction-count\" data-reaction-count=\"like\">0<\/span><span class=\"reaction text-3xl\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\ud83d\ude00 <\/span><span class=\"reaction-description font-medium\">Like <\/span><\/button><button type=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"reaction-btn flex flex-col items-center gap-1 text-sm text-gray-700 hover:text-primary-600 cursor-pointer transition-transform hover:scale-105\" data-reaction=\"helpful\"><span class=\"reaction-count\" data-reaction-count=\"helpful\">0<\/span><span class=\"reaction text-3xl\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\ud83d\udca1 <\/span><span class=\"reaction-description font-medium\">Helpful <\/span><\/button><button type=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"reaction-btn flex flex-col items-center gap-1 text-sm text-gray-700 hover:text-primary-600 cursor-pointer transition-transform hover:scale-105\" data-reaction=\"confused\"><span class=\"reaction-count\" data-reaction-count=\"confused\">0<\/span><span class=\"reaction text-3xl\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\ud83d\ude15 <\/span><span class=\"reaction-description font-medium\">Confused <\/span><\/button><button type=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"reaction-btn flex flex-col items-center gap-1 text-sm text-gray-700 hover:text-primary-600 cursor-pointer transition-transform hover:scale-105\" data-reaction=\"disappointed\"><span class=\"reaction-count\" data-reaction-count=\"disappointed\">0<\/span><span class=\"reaction text-3xl\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\ud83d\ude1e <\/span><span class=\"reaction-description font-medium\">Disappointed <\/span><\/button><button type=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"reaction-btn flex flex-col items-center gap-1 text-sm text-gray-700 hover:text-primary-600 cursor-pointer transition-transform hover:scale-105\" data-reaction=\"inaccurate\"><span class=\"reaction-count\" data-reaction-count=\"inaccurate\">0<\/span><span class=\"reaction text-3xl\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u274c <\/span><span class=\"reaction-description font-medium\">Inaccurate <\/span><\/button><\/div><div id=\"reaction-message\" class=\"hidden mt-8 rounded-md border border-primary-100 bg-white\/50 backdrop-blur-sm px-4 py-2 text-sm text-center shadow-sm\"><\/div><\/section><div class=\"calcdash-ad not-prose calcdash-ad--calc_result calcdash-ad--in-article\"><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1721569815777345\" data-ad-slot=\"6317458308\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/div>\n<style id=\"wpcoderpro-inline-1\">.formula-box {\r\n\tborder-bottom: none !important;\r\n}<\/style><section class=\"formula-box\" aria-labelledby=\"formula-title\">\r\n\t<div id=\"formula-title\" class=\"not-prose font-display mb-4\"><span class=\"icon icon-formula\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><h2>Acceleration Formula<\/h2><\/div>\r\n\t<figure class=\"not-prose formula\">\r\n\t\t<figcaption class=\"formula-title\">Formula<\/figcaption>\r\n\t\t<div class=\"text-base text-gray-800\" id=\"formula\">\n\\[ a = \\frac{F}{m} \\]\n<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n\t<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\\(a\\) \u2014 acceleration \\( (\\mathrm{m\/s^2}) \\)<\/li>\n<li>\\(F\\) \u2014 net force acting on the object (N)<\/li>\n<li>\\(m\\) \u2014 mass of the object (kg)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This is Newton's second law of motion rearranged for acceleration. It states that an object's acceleration is directly proportional to the net force applied to it and inversely proportional to its mass.<\/p>\n<p>\r\n<\/section>\n<style id=\"wpcoderpro-inline-459\">.calculation-box {\r\n\tborder-bottom: none !important;\r\n}<\/style><section id=\"calculation\" class=\"calculation-box\" aria-labelledby=\"calculation-title\">\r\n\t<div id=\"calculation-title\" class=\"not-prose font-display\"><span class=\"icon icon-unordered-list\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><h2>Acceleration \u2013 Calculation Example<\/h2><\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Example:<\/strong> a net force of 10 N is applied to a cart with a mass of 2 kg. Find its acceleration.<\/p>\n<p>\\[ a = \\frac{F}{m} = \\frac{10\\ \\mathrm{N}}{2\\ \\mathrm{kg}} = 5\\ \\mathrm{m\/s^2} \\]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Result:<\/strong> the cart accelerates at 5 m\/s\u00b2. These are the calculator's default values, so you can reproduce this result directly.<\/p>\n<p>\n\r\n<\/section>\n<h2>How to use the calculator<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Enter the net <strong>Force<\/strong> applied to the object in newtons (N). If several forces act, enter their sum \u2014 for example, 8 N forward minus 3 N backward gives 5 N.<\/li>\n<li>Enter the object's <strong>Mass<\/strong> in kilograms (kg).<\/li>\n<li>Read the <strong>Acceleration<\/strong> in meters per second squared (m\/s\u00b2) in the result field.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The result is rounded to three decimal places. If you enter a mass of zero, the calculator returns \u221e, because Newton's second law is undefined for a massless object.<\/p>\n<h2>What is acceleration?<\/h2>\n<p>Acceleration is the rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. An object accelerates whenever it speeds up, slows down, or changes direction. The SI unit is meters per second squared (m\/s\u00b2): an acceleration of 5 m\/s\u00b2 means the velocity increases by 5 m\/s every second the force is applied.<\/p>\n<p>The calculator is based on Newton's second law of motion, one of the cornerstones of classical mechanics. In its general form the law reads \\(F = ma\\): the net force on an object equals its mass times its acceleration. Rearranging gives \\(a = F\/m\\), the formula used here. It captures two intuitive facts: pushing harder makes an object speed up faster, and heavier objects accelerate less under the same force.<\/p>\n<p>The value you obtain is instantaneous acceleration under a constant net force. If the force stays constant, the velocity grows linearly: after 1 s the cart in the example above moves at 5 m\/s, after 2 s at 10 m\/s, and so on. To explore the resulting motion, you can combine this result with our <a href=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/physics\/projectile-motion-calculator\/\">Projectile Motion Calculator<\/a> or the <a href=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/physics\/average-speed-calculator\/\">Average Speed Calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Interpreting the result<\/h2>\n<p>A positive result means the object accelerates in the direction of the net force; a negative net force produces a negative acceleration (deceleration) \u2014 for instance when friction or braking dominates. For comparison, everyday gravity produces about 9.81 m\/s\u00b2 at Earth's surface, which is the acceleration of any object in <a href=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/physics\/free-fall-calculator\/\">free fall<\/a>. Race cars reach 10\u201315 m\/s\u00b2 under hard braking, and a passenger jet at takeoff accelerates at roughly 2\u20133 m\/s\u00b2. To express the result as a multiple of gravity, try the <a href=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/physics\/g-force-calculator\/\">G-Force Calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Assumptions and limitations<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Net force:<\/strong> the value you enter must be the <em>sum<\/em> of all forces acting on the object, not just one of them. Opposing forces such as friction or air resistance reduce the net force and therefore the acceleration.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Constant mass:<\/strong> the formula assumes the mass does not change during the motion, which fails for rockets burning fuel or leaking containers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Classical mechanics:<\/strong> the result is valid at everyday speeds. Near the speed of light or for subatomic particles, relativistic effects make Newton's second law inaccurate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Constant force:<\/strong> the calculator gives instantaneous acceleration. If the force varies with time or position, the acceleration changes too and must be integrated to describe the full motion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Quick reference values<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Force (N)<\/th>\n<th>Mass (kg)<\/th>\n<th>Acceleration (m\/s\u00b2)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>10<\/td>\n<td>2<\/td>\n<td>5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>50<\/td>\n<td>10<\/td>\n<td>5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>100<\/td>\n<td>20<\/td>\n<td>5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>20<\/td>\n<td>4<\/td>\n<td>5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>98.1<\/td>\n<td>10<\/td>\n<td>9.81<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Notice that doubling the force doubles the acceleration, while doubling the mass halves it \u2014 a direct illustration of the proportionalities in Newton's second law.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Calculate acceleration from Newton's second law: enter the force applied in newtons and the object's mass in kilograms, and the calculator returns acceleration in m\/s\u00b2.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[73],"class_list":["post-61525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-physics","tag-mechanics"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61525","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/70"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61525"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61525\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66352,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61525\/revisions\/66352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}