A car accelerates uniformly from rest to 60 m/s in 10 seconds. What is its acceleration?
["Understanding Uniform Acceleration: A Real-World Example of a Car Speeding Up to 60 m/s in 10 Seconds", "When a car accelerates uniformly from rest to a speed of 60 meters per second in just 10 seconds, it demonstrates a clear example of physics in action—specifically, uniform acceleration. Understanding how to calculate this acceleration not only helps solve physics problems but also deepens our grasp of motion, a fundamental concept in both engineering and everyday life.", "### What Does Uniform Acceleration Mean?", "Uniform acceleration refers to motion where an object increases its speed consistently over equal time intervals, meaning the acceleration remains constant throughout the motion. In this example, the car starts at zero speed and reaches 60 m/s in exactly 10 seconds, so its acceleration is steady and predictable.", "### The Physics Formula Behind It", "To find the magnitude of the acceleration, we use the basic kinematic equation for uniformly accelerated motion:", "[\na = \frac{v - u}{t}\n]", "Where:\n- ( a ) = acceleration (in m/s²)\n- ( v ) = final velocity = 60 m/s\n- ( u ) = initial velocity = 0 m/s (since the car starts from rest)\n- ( t ) = time = 10 seconds", "### Plugging in the Numbers", "Substitute the known values into the formula:", "[\na = \frac{60\ \ ext{m/s} - 0\ \ ext{m/s}}{10\ \ ext{s}} = \frac{60}{10} = 6\ \ ext{m/s}^2\n]", "### Conclusion", "This means the car accelerates at a constant rate of 6 meters per second squared. This steady increase in speed reflects uniform acceleration, making it a fundamental scenario in mechanics. Whether for classroom learning, vehicle design, or physics exams, understanding such problems helps clarify how motion behaves under constant acceleration.", "Next time you see a car surge from zero to speed in just seconds, recall this simple yet powerful principle: uniform acceleration means a predictable rise in velocity over time, quantified by a consistent acceleration value like 6 m/s².", "Key Takeaways:\n- Uniform acceleration implies constant speed increase.\n- The formula ( a = \frac{v - u}{t} ) simplifies calculating acceleration.\n- In this real-world example, a car accelerates at 6 m/s² from rest.\n- Understanding acceleration helps explain motion in cars, physics, and everyday dynamics."]
