Five variables, five equations, one calculator. Solve any SUVAT kinematics problem — displacement, velocity, acceleration, or time — by entering whatever you already know.
A SUVAT calculator lets you instantly solve the equations of motion for any object moving with constant acceleration, using the five interrelated kinematic variables: displacement (s), initial velocity (u), final velocity (v), acceleration (a), and time (t). Enter any three of the five values, and the calculator solves for the remaining two using the standard SUVAT equations, letting you analyze motion for physics problems, engineering calculations, or sports science.
SUVAT equations — sometimes called the equations of motion or kinematic equations — are among the most widely used tools in introductory physics. They describe how displacement, velocity, and acceleration relate to each other when acceleration remains constant, which is an excellent approximation for countless real-world scenarios: a car accelerating from a stop sign, an object in free fall near Earth's surface, a sprinter pushing off the blocks, or a train decelerating into a station.
This calculator is useful in many contexts: physics students use it to solve kinematics homework problems without memorizing which equation to use for each scenario, engineers use it to calculate stopping distances and acceleration requirements, sports scientists use it to analyze athlete performance, and safety engineers use it to model vehicle braking and collision scenarios.
A sprinter starts from rest (u = 0 m/s) and accelerates at 4 m/s² for 3 seconds. Using v = u + at: v = 0 + 4×3 = 12 m/s. Using s = ut + ½at²: s = 0 + ½×4×3² = 18 m. So after 3 seconds, the sprinter reaches 12 m/s and has covered 18 meters.
The five values this calculator produces together describe a complete, self-consistent picture of an object's motion under constant acceleration during the specified time interval. When comparing your result to the reference table, notice how the same equations apply whether the scenario involves a sprinter accelerating over a few seconds, a car braking rapidly, or an object in free fall — only the specific values of u, a, and t change, while the underlying mathematical relationships remain identical. If your calculated displacement or velocity seems unexpectedly large or has an unexpected sign, double-check your positive direction convention — a common source of confusion in SUVAT problems is inconsistent sign assignment between the different variables.
Enter any three of the five SUVAT variables (s, u, v, a, t) and leave the other two blank — the calculator solves for the missing values using the standard equations of motion.
| Scenario | Initial Velocity | Acceleration | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprinter accelerating from the blocks | 0 m/s | 4 m/s² | 3 s |
| Car braking to a stop from 25 m/s | 25 m/s | -5 m/s² | 5 s |
| Object in free fall (no air resistance) | 0 m/s | 9.81 m/s² | 4 s |
| Train accelerating away from a station | 5 m/s | 0.5 m/s² | 60 s |