Speed Time Graphs
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Speed
Speed is defined as a measure of the distance an object travels in a given length of time.
The average speed of an object can be determined from the equation below:
Thus, if a car travels 100 meters in 5 seconds its average speed can be calculated as;
Average speed = 100/5 = 20 meters per second
Average speed is used to give the speed of an object over a given interval of time, if however the speed of an object is required for a particular moment then the instantaneous speed is used.
Instantaneous speed is the speed of an object at a given moment. In this case the equation is similar to that of average speed but the time taken is a much smaller interval. A speedometer in the car gives an instantaneous speed as it gives the speed of the moving car at that specific time, whereas the average speed would be used as a measure of speed for the whole journey.
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Velocity
Velocity is defined as a measure of the distance an object travels in a stated direction in a given length of time.
Thus velocity is speed in a stated direction. Velocity is referred to as a vector quantity because it possesses both size and direction, the size being speed. Where speed only tells us how fast or slow an object is moving it gives no reference of direction velocity is used as a more complete measure as it not only gives speed but also the direction.
Two cars could be travelling with the same speed of 100 km/h on a motorway. However, by stating one car is travelling 100 km/h north and the other 100 km/h south do we realise they are travelling in opposite directions, thus the velocity gives a better indication of the motion.
The average velocity of an object can be determined from the equation below:
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Acceleration
For
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Speed
Speed is defined as a measure of the distance an object travels in a given length of time.
The average speed of an object can be determined from the equation below:
Thus, if a car travels 100 meters in 5 seconds its average speed can be calculated as;
Average speed = 100/5 = 20 meters per second
Average speed is used to give the speed of an object over a given interval of time, if however the speed of an object is required for a particular moment then the instantaneous speed is used.
Instantaneous speed is the speed of an object at a given moment. In this case the equation is similar to that of average speed but the time taken is a much smaller interval. A speedometer in the car gives an instantaneous speed as it gives the speed of the moving car at that specific time, whereas the average speed would be used as a measure of speed for the whole journey.
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Velocity
Velocity is defined as a measure of the distance an object travels in a stated direction in a given length of time.
Thus velocity is speed in a stated direction. Velocity is referred to as a vector quantity because it possesses both size and direction, the size being speed. Where speed only tells us how fast or slow an object is moving it gives no reference of direction velocity is used as a more complete measure as it not only gives speed but also the direction.
Two cars could be travelling with the same speed of 100 km/h on a motorway. However, by stating one car is travelling 100 km/h north and the other 100 km/h south do we realise they are travelling in opposite directions, thus the velocity gives a better indication of the motion.
The average velocity of an object can be determined from the equation below:
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Acceleration
For