Since nobody knows the correct answer, it must be several thousand miles per hour.
1.2 mph
I would call it current speed, not average speed.
velocity
Steamboats on the upper Mississippi River can travel downstream at speeds ranging from 6 to 12 miles per hour, depending on factors like river currents, weather conditions, and the specific design of the vessel. The strong current of the river can significantly enhance their speed when moving downstream. However, navigation challenges such as shallow waters and obstacles can affect their overall pace.
The fastest river current in the United States is found in the Colorado River, particularly at the Grand Canyon, where currents can exceed 20 miles per hour during certain conditions. Another contender is the Mississippi River, which also has areas with strong currents. The speed can vary significantly based on factors like water flow, season, and specific locations within the rivers.
It depends on the time of year and where in Africa.
The average speed of the Gulf Stream current in the Atlantic Ocean is about 4 miles per hour.
The speed of the Mississippi River varies depending on the location at which it is measured. At the headwaters, the flow is about 1.2 miles per hour. In New Orleans, far downriver from the headwaters, the river flows at about 3 miles per hour. For comparison, most people walk at about 3 to 3.5 miles per hour.
To set up the equation for finding the current of a river, you typically consider the speed of a boat relative to the water and the speed of the boat relative to the ground. Let ( v_b ) be the speed of the boat in still water, ( v_r ) be the speed of the river current, and ( v_g ) be the speed of the boat relative to the ground. The equation can be expressed as ( v_g = v_b + v_r ) when the boat is moving downstream and ( v_g = v_b - v_r ) when moving upstream. By measuring the ground speed in both directions, you can solve for ( v_r ).
The velocity of the boat relative to the shore is the vector sum of its velocity relative to the river and the velocity of the river current. In this case, it would be 4 km/h (boat's speed) + 5 km/h (current's speed), which equals 9 km/h.
The Mississippi River has meanders due to the erosional and depositional processes that occur as water flows over varying terrain. As the river's current changes speed, it erodes the outer banks of curves while depositing sediment on the inner banks, creating a sinuous path. This dynamic interaction between flow velocity and sediment movement allows the river to develop and maintain its meandering shape over time. Additionally, factors such as the river's gradient, sediment load, and surrounding landscape contribute to the formation and evolution of these meanders.
A car's speedometer typically shows the instantaneous speed, which represents the current speed of the vehicle at any given moment. It does not show average speed or velocity.