What is Average velocity: Definition and 283 Discussions

The velocity of an object is the rate of change of its position with respect to a frame of reference, and is a function of time. Velocity is equivalent to a specification of an object's speed and direction of motion (e.g. 60 km/h to the north). Velocity is a fundamental concept in kinematics, the branch of classical mechanics that describes the motion of bodies.
Velocity is a physical vector quantity; both magnitude and direction are needed to define it. The scalar absolute value (magnitude) of velocity is called speed, being a coherent derived unit whose quantity is measured in the SI (metric system) as metres per second (m/s or m⋅s−1). For example, "5 metres per second" is a scalar, whereas "5 metres per second east" is a vector. If there is a change in speed, direction or both, then the object has a changing velocity and is said to be undergoing an acceleration.

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  1. M

    Average Velocity Question: Solving for Average Velocity in Complicated Motion

    I'm having trouble solving part of this problem. Can anyone help? In climbing a wall, a caterpillar undergoes a complicated motion in which it ascends 3m and slips down 2m every 5min. What is its average speed and average velocity after 5min? I figured the avg. speed to be 0.02 m/s, but...
  2. C

    How Do You Calculate Average Velocity in a Two-Part Journey?

    Hi guys, I just started taking physics 2 days ago at my school. One of our questions is: "You drive a car 2.0 hours at 40km/h, then 2.0 hours at 60 km/h What is your average velocity?" Ok, from what I understand, Average Velocity is: delta v = delta distance / delta time So, To find...
  3. O

    Why does zero average velocity equal zero displacement?

    I have a homework question which I would like to try to explain more mathematically. If the average velocity of an object is zero in some time interval, what can we say about the displacement of the object for that interval? Thinking about it graphically, I realize it must be zero. Could...
  4. A

    Average velocity during impact

    A boy with a weight of 70 kg jumps down from a 3 meter high tree. His velocity on impact I have found to be 7,68 m/s and the impulse is 536,7kg*m/s. Now I need to find the average velocity during impact. What formula do I have to use?
  5. C

    What is the Average Velocity Problem and How Can It Be Solved?

    I had a physics problem which I had some problem understanding. The problem is: You plan a trip on which you want to average 90km/h. You cover the first half of the distance at an average speed of only 48km/h. What must your average speed be in the second half of the trip to meet your...
  6. C

    What is the Method for Calculating Instant and Average Velocity from a Graph?

    if I was given a graph, and told to work out the instant and average velocity, do I just find the slope of a tangent for both instant and average velocity? thx~
  7. O

    Calc I - Finding average velocity using integration

    Can I use integration to show why car 2 traveled farther than car 1 over a given time interval? Here is some of the problem, I have the following graph of two different velocity functions for two cars. http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/5696/graph1kv.jpg" The viewing window of this graph is...
  8. L

    How do you determine the average velocity of an object?

    I have no idea why I'm taking physics when I really have no wish to take another math/science class, but I am. The only problem is I have no idea what I'm doing, and we're just learning very basic physics right now. Ok, so now for my problem on motion (which is basically just a need for...
  9. J

    Calculate (a) the average velocity of the particle

    my professor gave us these two problems to try. I just started this physics class and am a little lost on these problems. any help/ hints would be greatly appreciated. 1) A particle moves along the x-axis according to the equation, x(t)=50t + 10t^2(squared)...
  10. C

    Average Velocity of a Rocket Launch: Calculating Magnitude and Time

    A rocket carrying a satelite is accelerating straight up from the Earth's surface. The rocket clears the top of its launch platform, 47 m above the ground, 1.35 seconds after lift off. After an additional 4.45 seconds it is 1.00 km above the ground. Calculate the magnitude of the average...
  11. O

    Average speed and average velocity?

    Average speed and average velocity?? Hello Dose a particle having a uniform circular motion may have some average velocity, although it is accelerating?? And how to find it? If yes, it has some average velocity then, what's its relation with average speed? "IAM CONFUSED THAT...
  12. L

    Average Velocity of an Arrow Shot Upward on the Moon | Find Average Velocity

    If an arrow is shot upward on the moon with a velocity of , its height in meters after seconds is given by . (a) Find the average velocity over the given time intervals. Do not round off your answers. t=[1,2],[1,1.5],[1,1.1],[1,1.01],[1,1.001]
  13. S

    Calculate Average Velocity: Get Help Here!

    Does anyone know how to do this? Thanks!
  14. B

    Magnitude and average velocity

    I am having a problem with the following question: A spider crawls from corner A to corner B in 30 minutes. The distance between AC (C chosen as a half-way point) is 27 meters, the spider turns right and the distance between CB is 21 meters. a) What is its average speed? and b) what is the...
  15. C

    What is the average velocity of the train during this run?

    A train moving at an essentially constant speed of 60 miles/hr moves eastward for 40 min, then in a direction 45 degrees east of north for 20 min, and finally westward for 50 min. What is the average velocity of the train during this run? So average velocity is \frac{\Delta r}{\Delta t} . I...
  16. C

    What is the limiting value of his average velocity?

    Each second a rabbit moves half the remaining distance from his nose to a head of lettuce. Does he ever get to the lettuce? What is the limiting value of his average velocity? I don't think he ever gets to the lettuce, just very close to it. Is the limiting value of his average velocity...
  17. S

    Instantaneous velocity and average velocity

    hi all having a problem with this question: The position of a rabbit along a straight tunnel as a function of time is plotted: http://img284.imageshack.us/img284/5764/untitled0vz.png 1. What is its instantaneous velocity at t = 10.0s and t=30.0s 2. what is the average velocity: between t...
  18. A

    Calculate Average Velocity: vav = (d2 - d1)/(t2 - t1)

    I am doing this question, and have collected the times and distances traveled at those various times. I am supposed to calculate the average velocity for each distance now. The book say: vav = vinst = d/t ; at t’ = t/2 (half time) But I checked online and found: vav = (d2 – d1)/(t2 –...
  19. U

    Calculating Average Velocity in Spring-Mass System

    A spring-mass system moves according to the position function x(t)=Asint. What is the average velocty in the period 0<=t<=2s? so the velocity is v(t)=A \omega cost how would I calculate the average velocity? \frac{A \omega cost |^2_0}{2} ??
  20. J

    Average velocity= displacement/time

    Hey, I just some clarification for kinematics: am i correct to say that: average velocity= displacement/time average speed=total distance/time ?
  21. O

    Physics average velocity problem

    Larry leaves home at 9:0 3.00 and runs at constant speed to the lamp post. He reaches the lamppost at 9:0 9.00, immediately turns, and runs to the tree. Larry arrives at the tree at 9: 12.0 0. from 0-1200 yds. the lightpost is at 200, house at 600 and the tree at 1200 i keep getting...
  22. W

    What was the average velocity and speed of the car?

    Hi, i have a few questions about motion. any help would be much appreciated. Q1. If a car was driven 250km from home to town, and back again in 12 hours: a) what was the average velocity? b) what was the average speed? c) what was the average speed in m/s? (show working out) thats it...
  23. P

    Avg Velocity Calculation: San Antonio-Houston & Back

    Average velocity ? You're driving an interstate 10 from Sn Antonio to Houston half the time at 55km/hr and the other half at 90km/hr . What is your average speed a) from San Antonio to Houston b) from Houston back to San Antonio c) for the entire trip ? What is your average velocity for the...
  24. T

    How can I calculate the average velocity of two vectors?

    How do I find the average velocity after adding two vectors?
  25. D

    Problem with average velocity in a circle

    A particle P travels with constant speed in a circle of radius 7.4 m and completes one revolution in 22.0 s (see Figure). The particle passes through O at t = 0 s. What is the magnitude of the average velocity during the interval from t = 4.4 s and t = 18.7 s. I used T=2(pi)r / v 22 =...
  26. K

    Calculating Average Velocity with 3 Sets of Numbers - A Simple Guide

    I know average velocity is V = displacement/time, but how do you find this with 3 different sets of numbers?? ---- A car travels along a straight stretch of road. It proceeds for 13.9 mi at 56 mi/h, then 29 mi at 42mi/h, and finally 32.2 mi at 35.2 mi/h. What is the car's average velocity...
  27. tony873004

    Average velocity of jumping into car

    [Walker2 2.P.016.] You jog at 6.2 mi/h for 5.0 mi, then you jump into a car and drive for another 5.0 mi. With what average speed must you drive if your average speed for the entire 10.0 miles is to be 11.0 mi/h? I got 15.8, but the computer program (webassign) says that's wrong. I did...
  28. O

    How Far Does the Bird Travel Before the Trains Collide?

    I am having a little trouble starting this problem for physics class. Two trains, each having a speed of 30 km/h, are headed at each other on the same straight track. A bird that can fly 60 km/h flies off the front of one train when they are 60 km apart and heads directly for the other train...
  29. B

    A question about average velocity?

    Hi, this is my first post ever published on such forums... anyway i liked this forum very much especially the classic physics category... And i'll be very happy if somebody answers my question.. i read once that average velocity can be calculated by this formula ONLY when it's LINEAR: V...
  30. W

    Calculating Edith's Average Velocity in a Relay Race

    In a relay race, each contestant runs a distance 24.8m while carrying an egg balanced on a spoon, turns around, and comes back to the starting point. Edith runs the first distance 24.8m in a time t1=19.3s . On the return trip she is more confident and takes only t2=time 15.1s . What is her...
  31. P

    What is the difference between average and final velocity?

    I'm doing a report and i have NO IDEAH what the difference is between Average and Final velocity! I have checked every where! :eek: Please help! :confused:
  32. M

    What are the physics problems involving velocity and acceleration?

    Hi, I'm having trouble with two physics problems. - Ashley runs 3.0 km in 4.00 minutes. What is her average velocity? The answer is 45 but I can't figure out how to get it. - A train moving at 15 km/hr takes 1 minute to come to a stop, find its rate of acceleration, its average...
  33. F

    Solve for Average Velocity during 2nd Half of Trip

    Here's the problem, While Traveling through the first half of the distance of the trip, your average velocity is 14.0 m/s. What average velocity would you need during the second half of the distance on your trip, if you wanted your average velocity for the entire trip to be 24.0 m/s...
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