Average velocity
Average velocity is a measure of the displacement of an object over a given time interval
Average velocity is a measure of the displacement of an object over a given time interval. It is calculated by dividing the change in position (displacement) by the change in time. The formula for average velocity is:
Average velocity = (change in position) / (change in time)
To calculate the change in position, subtract the initial position from the final position. Similarly, to calculate the change in time, subtract the initial time from the final time.
Let’s consider an example to understand the concept better. Suppose a car initially located at position x1 = 10 meters and moves to position x2 = 50 meters in a time interval of 5 seconds. We can find the average velocity using the given information.
Change in position = x2 – x1 = 50 – 10 = 40 meters
Change in time = t2 – t1 = 5 – 0 = 5 seconds
Plugging these values into the formula, we have:
Average velocity = (40 meters) / (5 seconds) = 8 meters/second
Therefore, the average velocity of the car over the given time interval is 8 meters/second. This means that, on average, the car is moving 8 meters in 1 second.
It is important to note that average velocity considers the overall displacement and time taken by the object, irrespective of the path taken. It does not provide information about the object’s speed at different points during the motion.
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