An object travels North at # 2 m/s# for #6 s# and then travels South at # 4 m/s# for # 9 s#. What are the object's average speed and velocity?
1 Answer
Jan 2, 2017
average speed 3,2 m/s; velocity = 1,6 m/s
Explanation:
Just as distance and displacement have distinctly different meanings (despite their similarities), so do speed and velocity. Speed is a scalar quantity that refers to "how fast an object is moving". Velocity is a vector quantity that refers to "the rate at which an object changes its position.". have to calculate the distance and the displacement between the final point and the initial point of the object. The object has gone 12m ( 2m/s x 6 s) towards north and than 36 m (4m/s x 9 s) towards south. the distance is 48 m (12+36), while the overall displacement is 24 m (36-12) towards south in 15 s (6+9). So the average speed is 48m/15s = 3,2 m/s and the velocity is 24m/15s = 1,6 m/s
