Final answer:
The SI unit of acceleration is m/s², representing meters per second squared or meters per second per second, indicating how many meters per second the velocity of an object changes with each second.
Step-by-step explanation:
The SI unit of acceleration is m/s², which stands for meters per second squared or meters per second per second. This unit describes how the velocity of an object changes in terms of meters per second for each second of time that passes. Acceleration not only occurs due to a change in the speed of an object but can also result from a change in the direction of motion. When an object undergoes a deceleration, it is experiencing acceleration in a direction opposite to its movement.
Some students may recognize gravitational acceleration as another context for this unit, which is approximately 9.8 m/s². This is the acceleration objects experience when falling freely near Earth's surface. Moreover, Newton's Second Law, F = ma, where F stands for force, m for mass, and a for acceleration, also utilizes the unit m/s² to explain how force relates to mass and acceleration.