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just a general wondering...i kno..i know neeky rite..

im just wondering guys where the words acceleration and velocity originated from and i wonder if anyone can help me to understand the way they are used in physics to the way they are used in everyday life.. its just we use it sooo much in physics and im just in tht kind of pfilisophical type mood and i wondered if anyone can help me with this...im one of those ppl who once they get a question i must find the answer to it and well if anyone can help me ull be saving me a lot of sleepless hours :smile:

It's just a general wondering thats all just wondered if anyone could help me out

Reply 1

Ben Dover the Lollipop Man

not sure what you're asking for.

but the words acc n velocity... does it matter where they originated from? newton defin is the 1st person to have used em in formulas and expanded in great detail (some1 correct me if im wrong)

well theyre both vectors, so just think of them as changing in speed and constant speed in a particular direction.

hope this helped

Reply 2

phys981

velocity
c.1550, from L. velocitatem (nom. velocitas) "swiftness, speed," from velox (gen. velocis) "swift," of uncertain origin, perhaps related to vehere "carry" (see vehicle), or from the same root as vegetable (see vigil).

or from the same root as vegetable ???

accelerate
c.1525, from L. acceleratus, pp. of accelerare "quicken," from ad- "to" + celerare "hasten," from celer "swift" (see celerity). Accelerator in motor vehicle sense is first recorded 1900.

celerity
1483, from M.Fr. célérité, from L. celeritatem (nom. celeritas), from celer "swift," from PIE base *kel- "to drive, set in swift motion" (cf. Skt. carati "goes," Gk. keles "fast horse or ship," keleuthos "journey, road," Lith. sulys "a gallop," O.H.G. scelo "stallion").

from http://www.etymonline.com