AP Physics 1 · Unit 1 · Kinematics

Acceleration Practice Problems

Connect the directions of velocity and acceleration to speeding up, slowing down, and reversing. Then calculate motion for accelerating carts, braking vehicles, and a reaction-time interval.

12 questions6 conceptual · 6 calculation

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Simulation scene from the Acceleration lesson. — A scene from the related lesson. Open the practice to work through the questions.

What you’ll practice

Explain how velocity changes

Compare the two directions

Decide whether speed increases or decreases when velocity and acceleration point together or oppose each other. Follow a cart through a reversal.

Calculate constant-acceleration motion

Use initial velocity, elapsed time, displacement, and acceleration to find an unknown. Compare trials with doubled time, acceleration, or travel distance.

Analyze a stopping journey

Separate motion during a driver’s reaction time from braking. Read acceleration from a velocity–time slope and keep track of the positive direction.

A question from this set

Negative acceleration while moving left

A cart is moving left and has a constant leftward acceleration. What happens to its speed?

Its speed decreases because the acceleration is negative.
Its speed increases because velocity and acceleration point in the same direction.
Its speed stays constant because its direction stays leftward.

Try it in the practice set

Both arrows point left: compare velocity with acceleration.

Key ideas

Direction matters as much as magnitude

Acceleration measures a velocity change

For constant acceleration, v = v₀ + at. Velocity changes by equal amounts in equal time intervals. Its value may pass through zero while acceleration continues.

Stopping distance depends on the starting speed

Use v² = v₀² + 2aΔx when time is not supplied. A reaction interval adds distance before braking starts, so the complete stopping distance includes both stages.

See the physics

Watch a reversal happen

Check an answer, then compare velocity and acceleration arrows with the spacing of equal-time motion dots. In braking and reversal trials, inspect when velocity reaches zero and what happens afterward.

Use a hint for a starting point or open a worked solution to follow the reasoning. Your progress saves in this browser, so you can return to unfinished questions.

Ready for acceleration?

Begin with a conceptual question, then work through the calculations.

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