# In physics, what variable goes with distance, velocity and acceleration? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 10, 2023, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598 "2023-02-10T22:13:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/1 "2023-02-10T22:13:08Z")
Let’s say you want to make a math test more difficult. One of the most basic data you can have about something is how far away it is; distance. The change in the distance is velocity/closing rate. The change in velocity/closing rate is acceleration. What would be the next step? Also, what is the antonym of “closing rate”, i.e.: not how fast something is coming toward you but how fast it’s going away from you? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/2 "2023-02-10T22:18:50Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > What would be the next step? Jerk. No, I’m not insulting you. That’s the answer. > **[Jerk (physics)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerk_(physics))** > > In physics, jerk (also known as jolt) is the rate of change of an object's acceleration over time. It is a vector quantity (having both magnitude and direction). Jerk is most commonly denoted by the symbol j and expressed in m/s3 (SI units) or standard gravities per second (g0/s). > As a vector, jerk j can be expressed as the first time derivative of acceleration, second time derivative of velocity, and third time derivative of position: > Where: ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/3 "2023-02-10T22:36:35Z")
With the next several being Snap, Crackle, and Pop (yes, scientists are fully capable of Dad jokes as well) ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/4 "2023-02-10T23:32:13Z")
It’s derivatives all the way down. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/5 "2023-02-10T23:54:06Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Also, what is the antonym of “closing rate”, i.e.: not how fast something is coming toward you but how fast it’s going away from you? I would say “receding rate”, or if you want to get fancy “recessional velocity”. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/6 "2023-02-11T00:19:43Z")
Well, jerk involves how I’d answer the OP’s question — the next variable is _time_. Without time you cannot measure velocity or acceleration. Velocity is the rate of change of position _with respect to time._ Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity _with respect to time._ ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/7 "2023-02-11T02:57:49Z")
And is time fundamental or emergent? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bJE6-VTdbjw/maxresdefault.jpg "What is emergence? What does "emergent" mean?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJE6-VTdbjw) ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/8 "2023-02-11T06:10:40Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > With the next several being Snap, Crackle, and Pop (yes, scientists are fully capable of Dad jokes as well) A very crisp answer - but only works with spherical rice in a vacuum. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/9 "2023-02-11T06:27:31Z")
> [@md-2000](#): > > A very crisp answer I think it’s better than that. As an answer, it’s GRRRRREAT! ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/10 "2023-02-11T12:03:17Z")
I read somewhere that when designing the Hubble Space Telescope, they took into account the first 11 levels of this derivative ladder. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/11 "2023-02-11T15:12:06Z")
Totally Cool. Thank you! Said another way, the Hubble probably holds the world’s record for machine gentleness. Unless it’s been eclipsed by some subsequent space telescope. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/12 "2023-02-11T15:52:17Z")
If so, it was only as part of constructing a power-series expansion of some function. I don’t think anything has ever actually made direct use of snap, crackle, or pop (much less anything further) for any direct purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/13 "2023-02-11T16:11:34Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > The change in the distance is velocity/closing rate. The change in velocity/closing rate is acceleration. Nitpick: the _rate_ of change of the distance is the velocity, and the _rate_ of change of velocity is acceleration. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/14 "2023-02-11T17:13:58Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Jerk. > > No, I’m not insulting you. That’s the answer. Understanding jerk can make you a better driver/pilot: gradual changes to the positions of the controls (steering wheel, brake/accelerator pedals, yoke/stick/throttle) reduces jerk and makes your passengers more comfortable. For extra credit, work on reducing how hard you brake your car as you approach a complete stop; in the perfect case, your car’s deceleration will _gradually_ approach zero (a low jerk value) as its velocity approaches zero, and you won’t have your passengers and cargo lurching back and forth when you stop completely. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/15 "2023-02-11T18:06:53Z")
In the ideal stop you’re also slowly relieving the nose-dive in the suspension. So the car halts with no suspension rebound. Automatic transmission pull at idle can make this more difficult than one might wish. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/16 "2023-02-11T18:34:41Z")
I could always stop with no rebound in my manual transmission cars, my friends with automatics never did. I always assumed it was a matter of lack of skill/consideration, until I started driving an automatic regularly, and found that it is actually much more difficult. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/17 "2023-02-11T18:59:49Z")
> [@md-2000](#): > > but only works with spherical rice in a vacuum. I thought it was “…assuming spherical cows” but carry on. I’ve cleaned up my spilled coffee and refilled. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/18 "2023-02-11T20:20:37Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > In the ideal stop you’re also slowly relieving the nose-dive in the suspension. So the car halts with no suspension rebound. Automatic transmission pull at idle can make this more difficult than one might wish. Yes, pretty much anything with a non-negligible elastic property is affected by jerk because it stores energy during decel and releases it all suddenly when the accel suddenly falls to zero. This includes tires, suspension springs, and the meatbags in the passenger compartment. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/19 "2023-02-12T02:27:55Z")
Anyone my age will recall the sinking feeling in the pit of their stomach when an up elevator started with too much jerk. I haven’t been in such an elevator in ages. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598/20 "2023-02-12T14:08:56Z")
Huh, I can usually stop without rebound in my car, and I’ve never driven a manual. I didn’t realize that was a superpower (though a friend, who’s an excellent driver and helped teach me, did tell me that doing that was one mark of a good driver). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-physics-what-variable-goes-with-distance-velocity-and-acceleration/979598.md?page=2)