Velocity: Definition, Formulas, and Real-world Applications in Science and Engineering

Velocity

The rate of change of displacement.

Velocity is a physical quantity that describes the speed and direction of an object’s motion. It is a vector quantity, which means that it has magnitude and direction. Velocity is thus defined as the rate of change of position of an object with respect to time in a specific reference frame and is commonly measured in meters per second (m/s or m⋅s⁻¹).

Velocity is often confused with speed, which is the magnitude of velocity. The main difference between velocity and speed is that velocity gives direction while speed doesn’t. For example, a car that is moving at 60 miles per hour in the north direction has a different velocity than a car moving at the same speed in the south direction.

Velocity can be determined by calculating the displacement (change in position) of an object over time. Displacement can be computed by finding the difference between an object’s initial and final positions. The formula for average velocity is defined as:

average velocity = total displacement / total time

Instantaneous velocity can be calculated by finding the derivative of position with respect to time. This means that velocity can be determined by finding the rate of change of an object’s position at any given moment in time.

Velocity is essential in physics, as it is used to calculate other physical quantities like acceleration, force, and momentum. In addition, velocity is used in various real-world applications, such as sports, navigation, transportation, and engineering.

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