Under constant acceleration, final velocity equals initial velocity plus the accumulated velocity change.
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.
Under constant acceleration, final velocity equals initial velocity plus the accumulated velocity change. Negative acceleration does not always mean decreasing speed; direction matters.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Velocity (final) | ||
| Velocity (initial) | ||
| Acceleration | ||
| Time |
Find velocity after a timed acceleration interval.
Track velocity while a constant braking acceleration acts.
A body starts from rest and accelerates at +2 m/s² for 3 s. Find its final 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
FormuLab is a study reference. Verify formulas, units, assumptions, and course-specific conventions before relying on them.
© 2026 FormuLab. All rights reserved.