\[d = v_0 t + \frac{1}{2} a t^2\]
Variables
ddisplacement (m)
v0initial velocity (m/s)
aacceleration (m/s²)
ttime elapsed (s)
Description
What is this formula?
This equation calculates the displacement of an object moving with constant acceleration over a given time interval.
When to use it
Use this formula when the acceleration is constant and both the initial velocity and elapsed time are known.
Example
If an object starts at 5 m/s and accelerates at 2 m/s² for 4 s:
d = 5 × 4 + 0.5 × 2 × 4² = 36 m
Applications
Vehicle motion analysis, robotics, industrial automation, trajectory calculations, and engineering physics.