magnitude
Because acceleration is velocity in m/s divided by time in s, the SI units for acceleration are m/s 2 , meters per second squared or meters per second per second, which literally means by how many meters per second the velocity changes every second. Recall that velocity is a vectorit has both magnitude and direction. This means that a change in velocity can be a change in magnitude or speed , but it can also be a change in direction. For example, if a car turns a corner at constant speed, it is accelerating because its direction is changing. The quicker you turn, the greater the acceleration. So there is an acceleration when velocity changes either in magnitude an increase or decrease in speed or in direction, or both. Acceleration as a Vector Acceleration is a vector in the same direction as the change in velocity, v . Since velocity is a vector, it can change either in magnitude or in direction. Acceleration is therefore a change in either speed or direction, or both. Keep in mind that although acceleration is in the direction of the change in velocity, it is not always in the direction of motion. When an object slows down, its acceleration is opposite to the direction of its motion. This is known as deceleration.