Activity 4.2 Let us calculate the magnitude of average acceleration of different types of cars. Class 9

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· Jul 02, 2026 · Reviewed & updated Sep 17, 2026 · 1 min read

Activity 4.2 Let us calculate the magnitude of average acceleration of different types of cars. Class 9


Activity 4.2 Let us calculate

Aim: To calculate the magnitude of average acceleration of different types of cars using data collected from the internet, and compare their performances.

Positions of vehicle at different instants of time

The magnitude of average acceleration in a time interval

Car typeTime interval during which the speed goes from 0 to 100 km h-1Magnitude of average acceleration (m s-2)
Maruti Suzuki Swift13.5 s2.06 m s-2
Hyundai Creta10.8 s2.57 m s-2
Toyota Fortuner10.2 s2.72 m s-2
Tata Nexon EV8.9 s3.12 m s-2


The time taken for different cars to accelerate from 0 to 100 km h-1 varies considerably - ranging from about 8 to 14 seconds for typical passenger cars.

Cars that take less time to reach 100 km h-1 have a higher magnitude of average acceleration.

Sports cars and electric vehicles generally show higher average acceleration than regular passenger cars.

The magnitude of average acceleration is calculated as:

average acceleration = (final velocity - initial velocity) / time interval

To get the acceleration in m/s² = 100 km/h = [latex]\frac{(100 \times 1000)}{3600}[/latex] = 27.78m/s

Then we use the formula:

α = [latex]\frac{27.78 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}}{t}[/latex]

Conclusion:

Average acceleration is defined as the change in velocity divided by the time interval over which the change occurs.