What term describes the rate of change in the velocity of an object?

The term that describes the rate of change in the velocity of an object is acceleration. Acceleration quantifies how quickly an object's velocity changes over time, which can occur in various forms such as speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction.

In mathematical terms, acceleration is defined as the change in velocity divided by the time during which that change occurs. This means if an object increases its speed from 10 m/s to 20 m/s over 5 seconds, its acceleration would be the change in velocity (10 m/s) divided by the time (5 seconds), resulting in an acceleration of 2 m/s².

Recognizing the distinction between acceleration and related concepts is crucial. For instance, velocity itself is a measurement of an object's speed in a given direction but does not express how that speed changes over time. Speed measures how fast an object is moving regardless of direction but, like velocity, does not address changes in that speed. Momentum, on the other hand, refers to the product of an object's mass and its velocity, and while it can change with acceleration, it does not describe the change itself. Thus, the correct answer clearly reflects the definition of acceleration, making it the appropriate choice for understanding changes in velocity.