Reference Terms
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Acceleration
In physics or physical science, acceleration (symbol: a) is defined as the rate of change (or derivative with respect to time) of velocity. It is thus a vector quantity with dimension length/time². In SI units, acceleration is measured in meters/second² using an accelerometer.
To accelerate an object is to change its velocity, which is accomplished by altering either its speed or direction (like in case of uniform circular motion) in relation to time. In this strict mathematical sense, acceleration can have positive and negative vals (deceleration). Any time that the sign (+ or -) of the acceleration is the same as the sign of the velocity, the object will speed up. If the signs are opposite, the object will slow down. Acceleration is a vector defined by properties of magnitude (size or measurability) and direction. When either velocity or direction are changed, there is acceleration (or deceleration)
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Matter & Energy News
July 9, 2026
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July 5, 2026 Quantum mechanics has journeyed from a strange and controversial idea to the foundation of some of humanity’s most advanced technologies. Now researchers are pushing its boundaries even further, with potential breakthroughs in energy, medicine, ...
July 3, 2026 Scientists have uncovered new evidence that fireworks can pollute both the air and water in ways that extend beyond the visible smoke. The findings show that leftover debris, fine particles, and airborne chemicals may affect ecosystems and increase ...
July 3, 2026 Researchers have created quantum control techniques that can make a system appear to run backward in time. By precisely managing quantum measurements, they can reshape the system's arrow of time and even harvest energy from the measurement process ...
July 2, 2026 A major breakthrough in quantum technology has turned magnons, tiny magnetic waves once considered too short-lived for practical use, into promising carriers of quantum information. Researchers extended their lifetime by nearly 100 times, reaching ...
July 1, 2026 A new quantum device can generate precisely controlled bursts of sound-like particles, or phonons, by forcing electrons through an ultra-thin crystal at extremely low temperatures. The surprising behavior pushes beyond the limits predicted by ...
July 1, 2026 A surprisingly simple fuel modification could help tackle one of diesel engines’ biggest problems: pollution. Researchers reviewing studies from around the world found that mixing small amounts of water into diesel fuel can dramatically reduce ...
June 26, 2026 A new sunlight-powered material can convert visible light into higher-energy UV light, overcoming a challenge that has frustrated scientists for years. The breakthrough could enable cleaner air purification, solar-driven chemistry, and advanced ...
June 24, 2026 A groundbreaking superconducting X-ray spectrometer has begun operation at BESSY II, giving Europe its first TES-based system and boosting photon detection efficiency by up to 1,000 times. The advance enables scientists to explore atomically thin ...
Latest Headlines
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July 9, 2026 Scientists have rewritten the story of gallium after discovering that its unusual atomic bonds re-form at high temperatures, contradicting decades of accepted theory. The finding changes how ...
July 8, 2026 A new quantum theory bridges two rival models of how impurities behave inside many-particle systems, resolving a problem that has challenged physicists for decades. The findings could reshape ...
July 7, 2026 A centimeter-sized crystal has revealed clear signs of quantum entanglement, showing that large, everyday objects can display surprisingly deep ...
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July 6, 2026 Engineers at a deep underground research facility noticed something strange during major rainstorms: airflow underground sometimes reversed direction. Using new sensors and mathematical modeling, ...
July 4, 2026 Researchers have proposed that black holes stop evaporating at the last moment, leaving behind tiny remnants that preserve all the information they contain. The same seven-dimensional geometry behind ...
July 4, 2026 Physicists have developed a new optical centrifuge that can precisely spin molecules inside a superfluid for the first time. The advance could help unravel some of the biggest mysteries of quantum ...
July 2, 2026 An unusual gravitational wave signal has renewed hopes that primordial black holes, long considered purely theoretical, may finally be within reach of discovery. If confirmed, they could solve one of ...
July 1, 2026 A decades-old puzzle about water has finally been unraveled. Researchers found that water trapped in tiny nanoscale spaces is not inherently more reactive. Instead, the intense pressures created ...
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