In cat exams, in the study of physics, three important variables are speed, distance, and time. Speed is a fundamental term in motion; it refers to how quickly or slowly an item moves from one point to another. The distance travelled in one unit of time is known as speed. Distance is exactly proportional to speed and velocity while time is constant. The distance between two points is the length of the space between them.
Distance
The amount of space that exists between any two places is known as distance. It can also be defined as the distance something has travelled from one location to another. Furthermore, a change in position is proportional to the distance travelled by an object. Distance is commonly measured in miles, kilometres, metres, centimetres, millimetres, yards, and inches.
Speed
The magnitude of velocity is what determines an object’s speed. It is a scalar quantity since it simply defines the magnitude of the moving item, not its directions. A faster speed suggests that a certain distance was completed in less time or that a longer distance was covered in the same amount of time. When an automobile is described to be travelling at 50 kilometres per hour, it indicates it will travel 50 kilometres in one hour. In contrast, a car rarely travels at the same speed for an hour. In reality, it starts slowly and then accelerates.
Time
Time refers to the progression of events. This process occurs over time, from the past to the present to the future. Time is an intangible commodity that cannot be felt or tasted. Only the passage may be measured. Time, according to some scientists, is the fourth dimension of reality. The length of time is measured in hours, minutes, or seconds.
Speed Distance Time Formula
The three basic factors of speed, distance, and time have a direct relationship. The link between these three variables is explained by the speed distance time formula.
Distance and time are directly proportional to speed. This is because an object’s speed is defined as the distance travelled divided by time, represented as:
Speed=distance/time
time=distance/speed and
distance=speed×time
Time Speed and Distance Questions for CAT exam.
Examples
I walk to a town at 312 kph, stop for 45 minutes, and then cycle back at 712 kph. Calculate the distance to the town if my total time spent is 6 hours 37 minutes.
Ans. Let the distance be D.
Hence, D/3.5+45/60+D/7.5=6 37/60
D=14cm
A train passes two people walking in the same direction as the train at speeds of 2 kmph and 4kmph, respectively, in 9 seconds and 10 seconds. The train’s length (in metres) is:
Solution. Let the length of train be x and its speed be y km/hr
Then, x/y-2=9/60×60 andx/y-4=1060×60=
9y-3600x=18 and 10y-3600x=40
y-400x=2 and y-360x=4
Therefore 40x=2 or x m.
Solving speed distance time problems
There are a few varieties of distance, time, and rate questions that mix the unknowns between distance, rate, and time. They usually entail addressing a problem in which the total distance travelled equals some distance or a problem in which both sides travel the same distance.
Linear equations are commonly used to solve problems involving distance, rate, and time. Use the formula rate (speed or velocity) times time equals distance to solve these problems.
distance=speed ×time
Relative Speed:
The speed of a moving object in relation to another is known as relative speed. The difference between two objects travelling in the same direction is used to compute relative speed. When two objects move in opposite directions, relative speed is calculated by adding their speeds together.
Average speed
Understanding the rate at which a travel occurs requires an understanding of average speed. The speed of a voyage may change from time to time. In this scenario, determining the average speed is critical in order to estimate the pace at which the voyage will be completed.
The speed of an object is calculated by dividing the distance it travels by the time it takes to travel that distance. If D is the distance travelled in time T then s=D/Tis the speed of the item throughout this journey.
Conclusion
The three most significant variables in physics are speed, distance, and time. Furthermore, these three variables undoubtedly aid in the solution of a variety of physics problems. To begin with, speed is defined as the rate at which an object moves from one point to another. The magnitude of an object’s velocity is referred to as its speed. It is, without a doubt, a scalar quantity. The amount of space between any two places is referred to as distance. It’s also known as the amount that something has shifted. The evolution of events is referred to as time. This process takes place in time, from the past to the present, and into the future.