Let $x$ be displacement as a function of time $t$ and some other physical quantity $k$ such that
$ x = f(t,k) $
Now,
1) Will the accleration $a$ be $\frac{\partial^2 x}{\partial t^2}$ or $\frac{d^2 x}{dt^2}$ ?
2) Will both of the expressions yield the same result?
Thank You
The essential question is whether the quantity $k$ depends on $t$ as well, or not.
If $k$ does not depend on $t$ then $${dx\over dt}:=\dot x(t)={\partial f\over\partial t}(t,k)\ ,$$ and similarly for the acceleration $${d^2 x\over dt^2}:=\ddot x(t)={\partial^2 f\over\partial t^2}(t,k)\ .$$ If in fact $k=k(t)$ then $$\dot x(t)={\partial f\over\partial t}(t,k)+{\partial f\over\partial k}(t,k)\,k'(t)\ ,$$and the formula for the acceleration $\ddot x(t)$ will be even more complicated.