The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
The accelerometer is a device used to measure different kinds of acceleration, the rate of change of velocity. Its initial use was to validate the principles of Newtonian physics, including those of universal gravity.
The first accelerometer, originally known as the Atwood machine, was invented by the English physicist George Atwood (1746-1807) in 1783. There are two types of accelerometers. The instrument constructed by Atwood measures linear acceleration, such as that experienced by a falling object. A spring system is used to measure the accelerating force, which provides the acceleration via Newton's famous second law, force equals mass times acceleration (F=ma). Later accelerometers were designed to measure circular or twisting acceleration, such as that experienced by a weight spun at the end of a string. Here the acceleration depends on the radius of the circle of the spinning object.
There was little need for the Atwood accelerometer until the rise of the automobile industry. As demand increased, automakers found it necessary to make their vehicles safer and more efficient. By placing many accelerometers in a test vehicle, researchers are able to determine where the engine's power is being dispersed. Simple forward acceleration can be measured, of course, but so can the sideways and up-and-down shiftings within the car's frame. Automotive researchers often place a human-sized dummy containing several accelerometers inside a moving vehicle in order to determine the effect of the car's motion upon a passenger.