How are speed and acceleration related, and what is the difference between them?

Question

I understand that speed is the amount of distance covered (traveled) in a time frame, while acceleration is the rate at which which velocity changes, but how are these related to each other? I also know that acceleration is a vector quantity and speed is a scalar quantity, but what exactly would be the similarity between these two? Also, what would be the key difference between them?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Acceleration = change in velocity per second

Acceleration and velocity are vectors (so have magnitude and direction)

Velocity vector = speed + direction

Acceleration vector = change in speed per second + direction

Mike