Velocity
Velocity is a measure of the speed and direction of an object's movement. It is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude (speed) and direction. The formula for velocity is:
Velocity = Displacement / Time
Where:
- Velocity is the speed and direction of an object
- Displacement is the change in position of the object
- Time is the duration of the movement
Calculating Velocity
To calculate velocity, you need to know the displacement and the time taken for the movement. Displacement is the straight-line distance and direction from the starting point to the ending point. It can be calculated using the formula:
Displacement = Final Position - Initial Position
Once you have the displacement and the time, you can use the formula to find the velocity.
Units of Velocity
The SI unit for velocity is meters per second (m/s). Other common units include kilometers per hour (km/h) and miles per hour (mph). When direction is involved, velocity is often expressed with both the magnitude and the direction, for example, "50 m/s due east".
Study Guide
Here are some key points to remember about velocity:
- Velocity is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.
- The formula for velocity is Velocity = Displacement / Time.
- Displacement is the change in position of an object and is a vector quantity.
- Velocity is measured in units of distance per time (e.g., m/s).
- Velocity can be positive, negative, or zero, depending on the direction and speed of the object's movement.
Understanding velocity is important in understanding the motion of objects and is essential in fields such as physics, engineering, and navigation.
