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Acceleration - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Acceleration : (noun)
1: an increase in speed; "modern science caused an acceleration
of cultural change" [ant: deceleration]
2: the act of accelerating; increasing the speed [syn: quickening,
speedup]
3: (physics) a rate of change of velocity
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Acceleration : \Ac*cel`er*a"tion\, n. [L. acceleratio: cf. F.
acc['e]l['e]ration.]
The act of accelerating, or the state of being accelerated;
increase of motion or action; as, a falling body moves toward
the earth with an acceleration of velocity; -- opposed to
retardation.
A period of social improvement, or of intellectual
advancement, contains within itself a principle of
acceleration. --I. Taylor.
(Astr. & Physics.)
Acceleration of the moon, the increase of the moon's mean
motion in its orbit, in consequence of which its period of
revolution is now shorter than in ancient times.
Acceleration and retardation of the tides. See Priming
of the tides, under Priming.
Diurnal acceleration of the fixed stars, the amount by
which their apparent diurnal motion exceeds that of the
sun, in consequence of which they daily come to the
meridian of any place about three minutes fifty-six
seconds of solar time earlier than on the day preceding.
Acceleration of the planets, the increasing velocity of
their motion, in proceeding from the apogee to the perigee
of their orbits.
Based on WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003)
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