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"Velocity" is a word often used by people who think it's just a fancy word for "speed",

and that they'll sound more knowledgeable if they use the bigger word. The truth is

that the two words have different meanings.

"Speed" means just what you think it does ... how fast you're going, or the distance

you covered divided by the time it took to cover it. Here's the thing, though: You might

travel for an hour at 60 mph and wind up in the next town, whereas I might spend an

hour driving around a circular track at 60 mph and wind up where I started. Both of us

have the same speed, and nobody can tell the difference in our results just from our speeds.

"Velocity" tells how fast, and in what direction. Velocity is speed plus a direction.

-- "30 miles per hour" is a speed.

-- "30 miles per hour north" is a velocity.

-- "50 miles per hour north" and "50 miles per hour west" are equal speeds,

but they're different velocities.

The speed of light is roughly 300,000 kilometers per second.

I personally feel that it hardly ever makes sense to talk about the velocity of light.

It spreads out in a wide fan of directions from most sources. We can bend light sharply,

but it never travels in a circle, and we never have to add together two speeds of light

in different directions to calculate their combination. So the "speed" of light almost

always tells everything you need to know about it. I believe light is a perfect example

of a case where the only people who talk about its 'velocity' are those who know not

whereof they speak.

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How are speed and velocity related and what is the key difference between the two?

Speed and velocity are both measures of how fast an object is moving. The key difference between the two is that velocity includes direction, while speed does not. Velocity is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude (speed) and direction, while speed is a scalar quantity, only having magnitude.


The main diference between speed and velocity involves?

The main difference between speed and velocity is that speed is a scalar quantity, representing only magnitude, while velocity is a vector quantity, representing both magnitude and direction. Speed describes how fast an object is moving, while velocity describes the rate of change of an object's position in a particular direction.


What is the difference between an object's speed and a object's velocity?

The difference between an object's speed and an object's velocity is that the object's speed is how fast it is going, and the object's velocity is how many units of speed the object has traveled.


What are difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is a scalar quantity that reflects how fast an object is moving, while velocity is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction. Speed is the magnitude of velocity. Velocity provides a more comprehensive description of an object's motion compared to speed.


Which BEST describes the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is the rate at which an object moves, whereas velocity also includes the direction of motion. Speed is a scalar quantity, while velocity is a vector quantity.

Related Questions

What is an example of the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is what it is: speed. Velocity is speed in a given direction, a vector quantity.


What is speed the difference Between speed and velocity?

Speed is just a number; velocity includes information about the direction. In physical terms, speed is a scalar, whereas velocity is a vector.


What is the difference is between speed and velocity?

Speed is just a number; velocity includes information about the direction. In physical terms, speed is a scalar, whereas velocity is a vector.


The distance between speed and velocity is that velocity includes?

Velocity includes direction. And it's the 'difference', not the 'distance'.


What is the difference between speed velocity acceleration?

Speed is the rate of change in distance, whereas velocity is speed and direction of travel. Acceleration is the change in velocity (including direction).


What factor is the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is exactly like velocity, except velocity has a fixed direction. So speed would be 50mph, whereas velocity would be 50mph NE


How are speed and velocity related and what is the key difference between the two?

Speed and velocity are both measures of how fast an object is moving. The key difference between the two is that velocity includes direction, while speed does not. Velocity is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude (speed) and direction, while speed is a scalar quantity, only having magnitude.


The main diference between speed and velocity involves?

The main difference between speed and velocity is that speed is a scalar quantity, representing only magnitude, while velocity is a vector quantity, representing both magnitude and direction. Speed describes how fast an object is moving, while velocity describes the rate of change of an object's position in a particular direction.


What is the difference betweenn speed and velocity?

Velocity is speed with a direction


Differenties between speed n velocity?

speed =dist/time velocity=displacement/time difference is that velocity depicts the direction in which a body is moving as displacement is one of it"s attriebutes but speed does not


What is the difference between an object's speed and a object's velocity?

The difference between an object's speed and an object's velocity is that the object's speed is how fast it is going, and the object's velocity is how many units of speed the object has traveled.


What are difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is a scalar quantity that reflects how fast an object is moving, while velocity is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction. Speed is the magnitude of velocity. Velocity provides a more comprehensive description of an object's motion compared to speed.