Definition:Tangential Component of Acceleration

Theorem
Let $\mathbf a$ be an acceleration of a particle $P$ in space.

Let $\mathbf a$ be expressed in intrinsic coordinates as:


 * $\mathbf a = \dfrac {\d \map v t} {\d t} \mathbf s + \dfrac {\paren {\map v t}^2} \rho \bspsi$

where:
 * $\mathbf s$ denotes the unit vector along the tangential direction of $P$
 * $\bspsi$ denotes the unit vector toward the center of curvature of the motion of $P$
 * $\map v t$ is the speed of $P$ at the time $t$
 * $\rho$ is the radius of curvature of the motion of $P$ at time $t$.

Then the component $\dfrac {\d \map v t} {\d t} $ of $\mathbf s$ is known as the tangential component of $\mathbf a$.

Also see

 * Definition:Centripetal Component of Acceleration