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What is Velocity and Velocity Formula?
To understand the formula for average velocity, first, let us understand what velocity is.
The rate of change of the position of an object with regard to a point of origin and a function of time is called the velocity of the object. Simply put, the rate at which an object moves from point A to B or changes its position is referred to as Velocity and it is a vector quantity.
Velocity is similar to a description of the speed and direction of motion of an object (for example, 50 km/h to the northwest). In kinematics, the field of basic mechanics that explains the motion of objects, velocity is a key notion.
Velocity requires both magnitude and direction for its definition as it is a physical vector quantity. Whereas Speed is the scalar absolute value or magnitude of velocity, and it is a cohesive derived unit whose value is expressed in metres per second (m/s or ms-1) in the SI unit (metric system). For example, 100 metres per second north is a vector quantity, but 100 metres per second is a scalar quantity.
Velocity Formula
The velocity formula is given as “displacement divided by the time taken”.
Final position – starting position or change in position = Displacement
Time taken is the amount of time it takes to travel a certain distance.
So, velocity = displacement ÷ time taken.
An Example of the Velocity Formula
Q – Velocity = 15 m/s (metres per second)
Time taken = 100 seconds
Calculate Displacement.
A – Velocity formula = displacement or change in position ÷ time taken.
Let, displacement be x
So, 15 = x ÷ 100
Or, x = 100 x 15 = 1500
Therefore, displacement = 1500 m.
What is Average Velocity? And Formula for Average Velocity
Displacement or the change in position divided by the change in time or time intervals required for the displacement to occur is defined as average velocity. Average velocity is also a vector quantity because a direction is required to describe it like velocity.
Based on the symbol of the displacement, the average velocity can either be positive or negative. Meters per second (m/s or ms-1) is the SI unit for average velocity as well.
Formula for Average Velocity
The formula for average velocity is displacement or change in position divided by change in time.
So, average velocity = displacement or change in position ÷ change in time
Or, AV = ∆X ÷ ∆T = (X1 – X0) / (T1 – T0)
Where, AV = average velocity, ∆X = displacement or change in position, and ∆T = change in time
And, X1 = final position, X0 = initial or starting position, T1 = ending time, T0 = starting time.
Is Velocity and Average Velocity the Same?
Displacement by time is the definition of velocity. Your current motion determines the velocity. The term average velocity refers to a type of velocity, so not every velocity is average velocity. The average velocity is associated with the velocity at a certain period in a similar way that a season’s average score is associated with a single game’s score.
Difference Between Velocity and Average Velocity
Meaning
The rate of change in position (displacement) with regard to time is known as velocity. It’s a vector quantity, meaning it has both a magnitude and a direction.
The average overall displacement over the travel duration is referred to as average velocity.
Formula
Velocity formula = displacement or change in position ÷ time taken.
Average velocity = total displacement or total change in position ÷ change in time
Units
Velocity – m/sec, cm/sec, ft/sec, km/h, miles/hr, etc.
Average velocity – m/sec, cm/sec, ft/sec, km/h, miles/hr, etc.
Objective
The velocity of an object informs you how rapidly and in which direction it is travelling.
If there are multiple displacements correlating to various times, then average velocity is to be calculated.
Example
Velocity
The displacement of an object is zero if it returns to its original position. As a result, this motion has no velocity.
Average velocity
If an object travels along the x-axis, positioned at 20 metres in 2 seconds and 24 metres in 4 seconds, the average velocity in that time span is (24+20)/ (4+2) = 7.33 metres per second.
Average Speed
The entire distance travelled divided by the period of time taken is the average speed. For instance, if you drive 40 kilometres in one hour, your average speed will be 40 kilometres per hour. The SI unit of speed and average speed is metres per second (m/s or ms-1)
Average speed does not take into account the speed differences that would occur over short time periods since it is the total distance travelled divided by the total time taken to travel.
Average Speed Formula
Average speed = total distance travelled divided by time taken.
Or, average speed = total distance ÷ time taken.
Difference Between Speed and Velocity
The difference between speed and velocity is that speed represents merely how rapidly an object is travelling, but velocity indicates how quickly and in what direction it is travelling.
If an object is described to move at 80 km/h, its speed is defined. But, if the object is stated to be heading east at 80 km/h, its velocity is now being defined.
When studying movement in a circle, the greater difference can be understood. The average velocity of an object moving in a circular route and coming back to its initial point is zero, but the average speed is calculated by dividing the circumference of the circular route by the time it takes to complete the whole route.
Conclusion
This article thoroughly described Velocity, Average Velocity, Velocity formula, the formula for Average Velocity and Average Speed. Detailed explanation for the difference between Velocity and Average Velocity and the difference between speed and velocity has also been mentioned.
