How Speed, Time and Distance can be Applied in Real Life Situations

Speed, time and distance are fundamental concepts used in real-life applications. These concepts use physics as well as other quantitative concepts to solve and provide the desired solutions. This article provides concepts and shortcuts for time speed and distance for a better and easy understanding of the topic.

Speed, Time & Distance – Introduction

Speed 

The rate at which an object moves from one location to another in a certain amount of time is known as speed. It is a scalar quantity since it defines the magnitude of a moving item, not its directions. The SI unit of speed is m/s.

Time

In physics, time is defined by its unit of measure – time is the reading on a clock. It is a scalar quantity in classical, non-relativistic physics.

Distance

The overall movement of an object, regardless of direction, is referred to as distance. We can define distance as the amount of ground covered by an item, regardless of its starting or ending position.

Different units can be used to indicate speed, distance, and time:

• Time is measured in seconds (s), minutes (min), and hours (h) (hr)
• Distance is measured in metres (m), kilometres (km), miles (miles), and feet
• m/s and km/hr are the units of measurement for speed
• So, if Distance = km and Time = hr, Speed = Distance/ Time, and Speed units are km/ hr

Relationship between Speed, Time & Distance

• Distance/Time = Speed — This shows us how fast or slow an object moves. It is defined as the distance travelled divided by the time it took to travel that distance
• Distance is directly proportional to the speed, but time is inversely proportional
• Distance = Speed x Time.
• Time = Distance / Speed, the time taken will reduce as the speed increases and vice versa

Conversion rates of Speed, Time & Distance

• To convert from m / sec to km / hour, we multiply by 18 / 5. So, 1 m / sec = 18 / 5 km / hour = 3.6 km / hour
• 1 yard = 3 feet
• Similarly, 1 km/hr = 5/8 miles/hour
• 1 mile = 1760 yards
• 1 mile = 5280 feet
• To convert from km / hour to m / sec, we multiply by 5 / 18. So, 1 km / hour = 5 / 18 m / sec
• 1 kilometer= 1000 metres = 0.6214 mile
• 1 hour= 60 minutes= 60*60 seconds= 3600 seconds
• 1 mile= 1.609 kilometer
• 1 yard = 3 feet

Examples

1. How many kilometres can a man travel in 3 hours 45 minutes, if he covers 12 metres in a second?

Solution:

12 m/s = 12 * 18/5 kmph

Time can be written as,
3 hours 45 minutes = 3 3/4 hours = 15/4 hours

Therefore,
Distance = speed * time = 12 * 18/5 * 15/4 km = 162 kms.

2. A person can cross a 600-meter-long street in 5 minutes. What is his current speed in kilometres per hour?

Solution:

Speed = (6005*60) m/sec

= 2 m/sec

= Converting m/sec into km/sec

(2*185) km/hr.

= 7.2 km/hr

3. A man walks 6 km at 1 1/2 kmph, runs 8 km at 2 kmph, and then takes the bus for another 32 km. The bus travels at a speed of 8 kilometres per hour. Calculate the man’s average speed.

Solution:

The man walked 6 kilometres at 1.5 kilometres per hour, then 8 kilometres at 2 kilometres per hour, and 32 kilometres at 8 kilometres per hour.

Time taken individually:

=> 6 m / 1.5 m = 4 m

=> 4 m = 8/2

=> 4 m = 32/8

Man’s average speed equals total distance divided by total time.

=> 3 (5/6) = 46/12

4. T1 train from Gujarat to Mumbai departs at 7 a.m. and arrives at 12 p.m. T2 is a second train that departs Mumbai at 7 a.m. and arrives in Ahmedabad at 1 p.m. When did the two trains come into contact?

Solution:

Allow x to be the distance between two stations.

Mumbai is reached in 5 hours by train T1.

Gujarat is reached in 6 hours by train T2.

Both trains’ relative speeds will be summed = x/5 + x/ 6 = 11x/30

Time taken = x/11x/30 = 30/11 or (30 X 60)/11 = 2.43 hours, resulting in 7 + 2.43 = 9.43 am.

Applications of Speed, Time & Distance

• The concepts of time, speed, and distance are used for calculating the speed of trains and the distance covered. It is also used for finding out the length of a train.

• It is also used in solving problems related to boats and streams, which are useful in determining the flow of a stream.

• Also, various problems involving circular motion can be solved using formulas based on time, speed, and distance.

Conclusion

Speed, time, and distance are crucial concepts in physics and mathematics. These concepts are used in various real life applications, and calculated for different research and other purposes. Besides that, its questions are common in aptitude exams, which can be useful for students who prepare well.