🏃Speed vs Velocity🧭
Speed and velocity both describe motion, but only one includes direction. That single difference matters enormously in physics.
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🏃Speed
- ✓Measures how fast an object moves
- ✓A scalar quantity — magnitude only, no direction
- ✓Always positive or zero
- ✓Average speed equals total distance over total time
- ✓Used in everyday descriptions of motion
🧭Velocity
- ✓Measures speed together with direction of motion
- ✓A vector quantity — has both magnitude and direction
- ✓Can be positive, negative or zero
- ✓Average velocity equals displacement over time
- ✓Essential for calculating acceleration and forces
Verdict
Speed answers 'how fast?'; velocity answers 'how fast and which way?'. A car driving in a circle at constant speed has constantly changing velocity. Physics problems usually need velocity.
Frequently asked
Can speed be negative?+
No. Speed is always positive or zero, since it ignores direction. Only velocity can be negative.
Can velocity change while speed stays constant?+
Yes. Moving in a circle at constant speed changes direction, so velocity changes continuously.
What is the difference between distance and displacement?+
Distance is total path length; displacement is the straight-line change in position, with direction.
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