Table of Contents
Difference between Speed and Velocity
| # | Speed | Velocity |
| 1. | Speed is a scalar quantity. | Velocity is a vector quantity. |
| 2. | It only describes the magnitude of motion. | It is measured in units of distance per unit of time (e.g., meters per second). |
| 3. | It is always positive or zero. | It can be positive, negative, or zero depending on the direction of motion. |
| 4. | It is measured in units of distance per unit of time in a specific direction (e.g., meters per second north). | It is measured in units of distance per unit time in a specific direction (e.g., meters per second north). |
| 5. | It is independent of direction. | It depends on the direction of motion. |
| 6. | Average speed is calculated as the total distance traveled divided by the total time taken. | Average velocity is calculated as the total displacement (change in position) divided by the total time taken. |
Daily life examples of speed
- The speedometer of a car measures the speed at which the car is moving.
- A treadmill at the gym displays the speed at which you are running or walking.
- Cyclist measures their speed using a bike computer or phone app.
- The speed of a rollercoaster is measured in miles per hour (mph) or kilometres per hour (km/h).
- A sprinter’s speed is measured in meters per second (m/s) during a race.
Speed Definition for Dummies
Speed is a measure of how fast an object is moving. It is calculated by dividing the distance travelled by the time it takes to travel that distance. It is a scalar quantity, which means it only tells us the magnitude or size of the motion and not its direction. The standard unit for speed is meters per second (m/s), but it can also be expressed in miles per hour (mph), kilometres per hour (km/h), or other units of distance per time.
How do we calculate speed?
To calculate the speed of an object, you need to know the distance it has travelled and the time it took to travel that distance. You can then divide the distance by the time to get the speed.
For example, if a car travelled 100 kilometres in 2 hours, you would divide 100 by 2 to get the speed, which is 50 kilometres per hour.
The formula for speed is:
Speed = Distance / Time
It’s important to remember that speed is a scalar quantity, which means it only tells us the magnitude or size of the motion and not its direction.
What is another word for speed in physics?
In physics, another word for speed is “velocity”. While the two terms are often used interchangeably in everyday language, they have slightly different meanings in physics. Velocity not only includes the speed of an object but also its direction of motion. In other words, velocity is a vector quantity, while speed is a scalar quantity.
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