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Average speed is the distance traveled divided by the time traveled. Average velocity is the displacement divided by the time traveled. Displacement is change in position, or final position (df) minus initial position (di).
Let's say you traveled from your home to the mall and then back again. The total distance traveled was 30 miles, and the total time driven was 1 hour.
Average speed = distance traveled/time traveled = 30 miles/1 hour = 30mi/hr or 30mph.
Average velocity = (df - di)/time traveled = 0 mile/1 hour = 0 mi/hr or 0mph.*
*In this case the final position and the initial position are the same (your house), so the displacement is zero.
Something to think about: When a Nascar driver races 500 miles around an oval track, his average speed might be 160mph, but his average velocity when he finishes the race is 0mph.
What else can I help you with?
How is velocity different from average speeed?
Velocity is speed and its direction. Average velocity is average speed and its direction.
When average velocity and average speed is equal?
For the instantaneous value of average velocity, average speed and average velocity are equal.
Does average velocity and average speed have the same number?
velocity is a vector and speed is scalar. Velocity has magnitude and directions, with magnitude being speed. The magnitude of average velocity and average speed is the same.
When is average speed of an object not equal to average velocity?
Average speed is the distance traveled divided by the time taken, and it is a scalar quantity. Average velocity is the displacement divided by the time taken, and it is a vector quantity that includes direction. Average speed and average velocity are only equal when an object moves in a straight line, but when there are changes in direction, they can be different.
Are speed and velocity different?
SPEED has the speed only; while VELOCITY has the direction and the speed.
Jake and Brenda drove at a speed of 30 mph for 1 hour Then they turned around and drove 45 mph until they were back where they started What is true about their average speed and average velocity?
their average speed is greater than their average velocity.
Can speed and velocity be the same?
No, speed and velocity are not the same. Speed is a scalar quantity that measures how fast an object is moving, while velocity is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction of motion. Therefore, two objects can have the same speed but different velocities if they are moving in different directions.
Is distance the magnitude for average velocity?
No. Average speed is.
Can a body have nonzero average speed but have zero average velocity give example?
Yes, a body can have a nonzero average speed but zero average velocity if it moves around a closed path and returns to its starting point. For example, if a car travels around a circular track at a constant speed, its average speed will be nonzero (as distance is covered), but its average velocity over the entire trip will be zero as the displacement is zero.
Does average velocity have a direction associated with it?
The term "velocity", as used in physics, DOES have an associated direction. Most derived terms, such as "average velocity", also do.
Jake and Brenda drove at a speed of 30 mph for 1 hour. Then they turned around and drove 45 mph until they were back where they started. What is true about their average speed and average velocity?
Their average speed is the harmonic mean of 30 and 45 while their average velocity is zero.
Is velocity speed?
As used in physics, the two are different. Speed is a scalar, velocity a vector.
