Introduction to Speed and Velocity

Learning Intentions

  • To learn the difference between distance and displacement
  • To learn the difference between speed and velocity
  • To learn how to calculate speed and velocity

Notes

Using the Internet, answer the following questions.

  1. What is the difference between a scalar and a vector?
    I'm Vector, I commit crime with both direction and magnitude.
  2. What is the difference between distance and displacement?
  3. How is speed calculated?
  4. How is velocity calculated?
  5. How do you convert meters per second to kilometers per hour?
  6. How do you convert kilometers per hour to meters per second?
  7. What is wrong with the equation in the picture below?
    Velociraptor equals distanceraptor divided by timeraptor.

Questions

Watch the video below, and answer the questions as a class.

What Are Speed and Velocity? (8:22)

 

  1. A car completes a lap of a 1,600 meter track in 55 seconds.
    1. What is the average speed, in metres per second?
    2. What is the average speed, in kilometres per hour?
    3. What is the average velocity, in metres per second?
    4. What is the average velocity, in kilometres per hour?
  2. In 4 seconds, a car drives 16 metres forwards.
    1. What distance does the car travel?
    2. What is the average speed of the car, in m/s?
    3. What is the displacement of the car?
    4. What is the average velocity of the car, in m/s?
  3. In 3 seconds, a car drives 8 metres backwards.
    1. What distance does the car travel?
    2. What is the average speed of the car, in m/s?
    3. What is the displacement of the car?
    4. What is the average velocity of the car, in m/s?
  4. Combining the previous 2 questions: In 7 seconds, a car drives 16 metres forwards, then 8 metres backwards.
    1. What distance does the car travel?
    2. What is the average speed of the car, in m/s?
    3. What is the displacement of the car?
    4. What is the average velocity of the car, in m/s?