difference between average velocity and instantaneous velocity class 11
Difference between average velocity and instantaneous velocity
Average Velocity:
Average velocity is calculated by dividing the total displacement by the total time taken. It gives an overall view of an object’s motion over a certain time interval. The formula for average velocity is:
\text{Average velocity} = \frac{\text{Total displacement}}{\text{Total time taken}}
Instantaneous Velocity:
Instantaneous velocity, on the other hand, is the velocity of an object at a specific point in time or at a specific instant. It is the rate at which an object is moving at a particular moment. Instantaneous velocity can be found by taking the derivative of the position function with respect to time. Mathematically, it is represented as:
v = \lim_{\Delta t \to 0} \frac{\Delta x}{\Delta t}
where:
- v = instantaneous velocity
- \Delta x = change in position
- \Delta t = change in time
In simple terms, average velocity gives an overall velocity over a period, while instantaneous velocity indicates the exact velocity of an object at any given moment.