Question

acceleration in physics is defined as ( dv/dt = a ), but id like to know what "d" in dv and dt really is. My guess is that its same as "r" - displacement

Answer 1

hmmm

seems like you might be reading a bit ahead of your game...

dv/dt is a notation used in calculus

It can be interpreted as the instantaneous rate of change of velocity with time.

It is derived from 'infinitesimal changes' and represents an 'infinitesimal change of velocity/'infinitesimal period of time.


It is also the slop of the velocity time graph at any time t...

(it is NOT d *v/d*t)

Answer 2

So, how do i understand it more?

Answer 3

it is the beginning of a very big subject. I can't teach you calculus here!

suppose the velocity /time graph looks like this:


you can see that the change in velocity over time delta t is deltav

so the AVERAGE slope between thos points is delta v /delta t

as delta t becomes infinitesimal the slope looks like this:



at the limit as delta v becomes 0 then delta v /delta t is denoted dv/dt and represents the slop at point t