Physical Science: Position, Motion, and Speed

Using the formula s = d / t, we divide 25 miles by 0.5 hours. 25 / 0.5 = 50 mph.

Using the formula s = d / t, we divide 30 miles by 2 hours. 30 / 2 = 15 mph.

Velocity is speed with a specified direction. Since the pilot includes both a speed (750 mph) and a direction (northeast), she is stating her velocity.

Velocity is defined as the speed of an object in a specific direction. Speed is a scalar quantity, while velocity is a vector quantity.

A vector is a physical quantity that has both magnitude (size) and direction. Examples include velocity, displacement, and force.

Average speed is calculated by taking the total distance traveled and dividing it by the total time taken to travel that distance.

When an object travels at varying speeds, we calculate its average speed by dividing the total distance by the total time. This provides a single value representing the overall rate of motion.

In real-world scenarios, objects rarely maintain a perfectly constant speed due to obstacles, traffic, or changes in force. Therefore, speed is usually not constant.

Speed is defined as the distance traveled per unit of time. It measures how quickly an object changes its position.

We do not need to directly observe an object to know it has moved. We can infer motion by comparing its current position to a reference point or by observing changes in its environment.

Motion is defined as a change in an object's position relative to a reference point over time.

A reference point is a stationary object or location used to judge whether another object is in motion or to describe its position.

Position describes the location of an object relative to a reference point.