what is the difference between speed and velocity
What is the difference between speed and velocity?
Answer:
Speed and velocity are both terms used to describe how fast an object is moving, but they have different meanings in physics.
Speed: Speed is a scalar quantity, which means it only has magnitude and no direction. It is the rate at which an object covers distance. Speed is calculated by dividing the distance traveled by the time taken, without considering the direction of motion. For example, if a car is moving at 60 km/h, its speed is 60 km/h.
Velocity: Velocity is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. It describes the rate at which an object changes its position. Velocity is determined by dividing the displacement (change in position) by the time taken. Unlike speed, velocity considers the direction of motion. For example, if a car is moving at 60 km/h due east, its velocity is 60 km/h east.
In summary, speed is the distance covered per unit time without specifying the direction, while velocity is the displacement per unit time with direction taken into account.