Metre per second squared - Wikipedia Metre per second squared The metre per second squared is the unit of acceleration in the International System of Units ( SI ). As a derived unit, it is composed from the SI base units of length, the metre, and time, the second. Its symbol is written in several forms as m / s, m s or m s, or less commonly, as m / s / s. As acceleration, the unit is interpreted physically as change in velocity or speed per time interval, i.e. metre per second per second and is treated as a vector quantity. Contents 1 Example 2 Related units 3 Conversions 4 See also 5 References Example An object experiences a constant acceleration of one metre per second squared ( 1 m / s ) from a state of rest, when it achieves the speed of 5 m / s after 5 seconds and 10 m / s after 10 seconds. Related units Newton 's Second Law states that force equals mass multiplied by acceleration. The unit of force is the newton ( N ), and mass has the SI unit kilogram ( kg ). One newton equals one kilogram metre per second squared. Therefore, the unit metre per second squared is equivalent to newton per kilogram, N kg, or N / kg. Thus, the Earth 's gravitational field ( near ground level ) can be quoted as 9.8 metres per second squared, or the equivalent 9.8 N / kg. Acceleration can be measured in ratios to gravity, such as g - force, and peak ground acceleration in earthquakes. Conversions Conversions between common units of acceleration Base value ( Gal, or cm / s ) ( ft / s ) ( m / s ) ( Standard gravity, g ) 1 Gal, or cm / s 6998328084000000000 ♠ 0.032 8084 6998100000000000000 ♠ 0.01 6997101972000000000 ♠ 0.001 019 72 1 ft / s 7001304800000000000 ♠ 30.4800 6999304800000000000 ♠ 0.304 800 6998310810000000000 ♠ 0.031 0810 1 m / s 7002100000000000000 ♠ 100 7000328084000000000 ♠ 3.280 84 6999101972000000000 ♠ 0.101 972 1 g 7002980665000000000 ♠ 980.665 7001321740000000000 ♠ 32.1740 7000980665000000000 ♠ 9.806 65 See also Foot per second squared Gal Gravitational acceleration Standard gravity References Jump up ^ Note that the SI standard does not permit the latter : NIST Special Publication 330, 2008 Edition : The International System of Units ( SI ) p. 130 `` A solidus must not be used more than once in a given expression without brackets to remove ambiguities. '' Jump up ^ Kirk, Tim : Physics for the IB Diploma ; Standard and Higher Level, Page 61, Oxford University Press, 2003 This standards - or measurement - related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metre_per_second_squared&oldid=816748677 '' Categories : Units of acceleration SI derived units Standards and measurement stubs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Bân - lâm - gú Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Bosanski Català Eesti Español فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Македонски 日本 語 Português Русский Sicilianu Simple English Slovenščina Soomaaliga Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Svenska Українська 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 23 December 2017, at 11 : 25. About Wikipedia

Question: why are the units of acceleration m/s2
Answer: change in velocity or speed per time interval, i.e. metre per second per second