This constant-acceleration relation connects velocity and displacement without requiring elapsed time.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Read time
5 min
Prerequisites
Basic algebra, consistent units, and the stated model assumptions
Source
OpenStax, College Physics 2e, §2.5 (Paul Peter Urone and Roger Hinrichs)OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
This constant-acceleration relation connects velocity and displacement without requiring elapsed time. Because the final velocity is squared, an additional direction choice is needed when taking a square root.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Velocity (final) | ||
| Velocity (initial) | ||
| Acceleration | ||
| Displacement |
Relate velocity change to available displacement.
Find speed when elapsed time is unknown.
A body starts from rest, accelerates at +2 m/s², and moves +9 m. Find its final positive-direction velocity.
OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Assumptions
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