Uniform acceleration and non-uniform acceleration describe two different types of motion in
which the rate of change of velocity varies.
1. Uniform Acceleration:
- Uniform acceleration refers to a situation in which an object's velocity changes by the
same amount in each equal interval of time. In other words, the object's acceleration remains
constant throughout the motion.
- Examples of uniform acceleration include an object moving under the influence of a
constant force, such as an object falling freely in a vacuum or a car moving with a constant
acceleration on a straight road.
- Mathematically, the equations for motion with uniform acceleration are often derived using
kinematic equations, such as the equations of motion under constant acceleration.
2. Non-Uniform Acceleration:
- Non-uniform acceleration refers to a situation in which an object's velocity changes by
different amounts in different intervals of time. The object's acceleration is not constant but
varies throughout the motion.
- Examples of non-uniform acceleration include objects experiencing changing forces, such
as a car moving along a curved path or an object pushed by a variable force.
- Mathematically, motion with non-uniform acceleration is more complex and may require
integration or numerical methods to analyze accurately.
In both cases, acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with respect to time. However, in
the case of uniform acceleration, the rate of change remains constant, while in non-uniform
acceleration, the rate of change varies.
It's important to note that uniform and non-uniform acceleration are idealized concepts used
to simplify the analysis of motion in specific scenarios. In reality, many motions involve
variations in acceleration due to factors like changing forces, friction, or air resistance.