Editing Metre per second squared

{{short description|SI derived unit of acceleration}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox unit
| name         = Metre per second squared
| image        = 
| caption      = 
| standard     = [[International System of Units|SI]]
| quantity     = [[acceleration]]
| symbol       = {{sfrac|m|s<sup>2</sup>}}
}}
The '''metre per second squared''' or '''metre per square second''' is the [[Units of measurement|unit]] of [[acceleration]] in the [[International System of Units]] (SI). As a [[SI derived unit|derived unit]], it is composed from the [[SI base unit]]s of length, the [[metre]], and of time, the [[second]]. Its symbol is written in several forms as '''m/s<sup>2</sup>''', '''m·s<sup>−2</sup>''' or '''ms<sup>−2</sup>''', <math>{\tfrac\operatorname{m}{\operatorname{s}^2}}</math>, or less commonly, as '''(m/s)/s'''.<ref>Note that the SI standard does not permit the latter: [http://physics.nist.gov/Pubs/SP330/sp330.pdf NIST Special Publication 330, 2008 Edition: The International System of Units (SI)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603215953/http://physics.nist.gov/Pubs/SP330/sp330.pdf |date=2016-06-03 }} p.&nbsp;130 "A solidus must not be used more than once in a given expression without brackets to remove ambiguities."</ref>

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.

==Example==
When an object experiences a constant acceleration of one metre per second squared (1&nbsp;m/s<sup>2</sup>) from a state of rest, it achieves the speed of 5&nbsp;m/s after 5 seconds and 10&nbsp;m/s after 10 seconds. The average acceleration ''a'' can be calculated by dividing the speed ''v'' (m/s) by the time ''t'' (s), so the average acceleration in the first example would be calculated: 
:<math>a = \frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t} = \frac{5\text{ m/s}}{5\text{ s}} = 1\text{ (m/s)/s} = 1\text{ m/s}^2</math>.

==Related units==
[[Newton's second law]] states that force equals mass multiplied by acceleration.
The unit of force is the [[newton (unit)|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<sup>−1</sup>, or N/kg.<ref>Kirk, Tim: ''Physics for the IB Diploma; Standard and Higher Level'', Page 61, Oxford University Press, 2003.</ref>

Thus, the Earth's gravitational field (near ground level) can be quoted as 9.8 metres per second squared, or the equivalent 9.8&nbsp;N/kg.

Acceleration can be measured in ratios to gravity, such as [[g-force]], and [[peak ground acceleration]] in earthquakes.

== Unicode character ==
The "metre per second squared" symbol is encoded by [[Unicode]] at code point {{unichar|33A8|Square M over S Squared}}. This is for compatibility with East Asian encodings and not intended to be used in new documents.<ref name="Unicode-U3300">{{cite web |url=https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U3300.pdf |access-date=May 24, 2019 |title=The Unicode Standard 12.0 – CJK Compatibility Range: 3300–33FF  |author=Unicode Consortium |author-link=Unicode Consortium |date=2019 |website=Unicode.org}}</ref>

==Conversions==
{{Acceleration conversions}}

== See also ==
* [[Foot per second squared]]
* [[Gal (unit)|Gal]]
* [[Gravitational acceleration]]
* [[Standard gravity]]
*[[Acceleration (special relativity)|Acceleration]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Units of acceleration]]
[[Category:SI derived units]]