What is the formula for calculating acceleration?

The formula for calculating acceleration is defined as the change in velocity divided by the time taken for that change. Acceleration measures how quickly an object's velocity changes over a specific period. In this context, "velocity" refers to the speed of an object in a given direction, which makes this formula particularly relevant in physics.

Using the correct formula allows for a comprehensive understanding of how an object is moving — not just how fast, but also in which direction. Since acceleration involves any change in velocity, this includes both increases and decreases in speed, as well as changes in direction, making it distinct from a simpler concept of change in speed.

The other options provide useful information in their own right but do not accurately define acceleration. For instance, while change in speed divided by time might apply in specific scenarios (like uniform acceleration in one direction), it doesn't account for changes in direction and thus is not fully representative of all cases of acceleration. Force divided by mass relates to Newton's second law of motion, describing how forces produce acceleration but is not a direct measure of acceleration itself. Distance divided by time gives average speed and does not take into account changes in velocity, which are critical to understanding acceleration.