Acceleration Converter

Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham. NIST-defined conversion factors. Last verified 14 June 2026.

Acceleration is the rate at which velocity changes, a fundamental quantity in physics, engineering, and geophysics. The SI unit is metres per second squared (m/s²), but different fields and contexts use alternative units for convenience or tradition. Standard gravity, denoted as 'g' and equal to 9.80665 m/s², is used as a reference point because it represents the acceleration due to Earth's gravity at sea level and is commonly used to express accelerations in multiples of this natural reference, such as the 'g-forces' experienced during vehicle acceleration or by astronauts during launch. The Gal, named after Galileo, equals 1 centimetre per second squared and is standard in geophysics and seismology for measuring earthquake acceleration. Engineering contexts may use feet per second squared, while newer automotive specifications express acceleration in kilometres or miles per hour per second. Converting between these units is essential when reading specifications from different countries or fields, understanding vehicle performance, interpreting seismic data, or designing systems that must withstand specific acceleration forces. This calculator displays seven acceleration units: metres per second squared, centimetres per second squared, feet per second squared, standard gravity, Gal, kilometres per hour per second, and miles per hour per second. Enter a value in any field and all others update instantly.