Average velocity just simply be the average speed

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
3 replies · 7K views
J-Girl
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Hi peeps, i just started intro physics but finding it sort of difficult, and attempting to do some questions but just not quite sure if I am doing it right. would so appreciate any kind of help, my teacher doesn't seem to break it down enough for me lol. can somebody just check my work, and let me know if I am right or wrong?:)
1)A car is driven 40km at 30km/h. it then continues in the same direction for another 40km at 60km/h. what is the average velocity of the car during this 80 km trip?
In this question, would the average velocity just simply be the average speed, as its just going in one positive direction? As the 80 km took 120 minutes all up, it is just displacement/time, and the answer is 40km/h?

2) average velocity of these two cases:
a) you walk 73.2m at a speed of 1.22m/s, and then run 73.2m, at a speed of 3.05m/s along a straight track.
73.2/1.22=60m/s
73.2/3.05=24m/s
60+24/2= 42m/s= average velocity


b)You walk for 1minute at a speed of 1.22m/s, and then run for 1minute at 3.05m/s
60 x 1.22= 73.2m
60 x 3.05=183m
73.2+183=256.2-total displacement
120 seconds=total time
so 256.2/120=2.135m/s = average velocity

please let me know if I am right, id really appreciate some help:), i know theyre easy questions but I am not very confident with physics at all!:(
 
Physics news on Phys.org


J-Girl said:
1)A car is driven 40km at 30km/h. it then continues in the same direction for another 40km at 60km/h. what is the average velocity of the car during this 80 km trip?
In this question, would the average velocity just simply be the average speed, as its just going in one positive direction? As the 80 km took 120 minutes all up, it is just displacement/time, and the answer is 40km/h?
Good!

2) average velocity of these two cases:
a) you walk 73.2m at a speed of 1.22m/s, and then run 73.2m, at a speed of 3.05m/s along a straight track.
73.2/1.22=60m/s
73.2/3.05=24m/s
60+24/2= 42m/s= average velocity
Redo this one. You're mixing up speed and time. Solve it just like the others: total displacement over total time.


b)You walk for 1minute at a speed of 1.22m/s, and then run for 1minute at 3.05m/s
60 x 1.22= 73.2m
60 x 3.05=183m
73.2+183=256.2-total displacement
120 seconds=total time
so 256.2/120=2.135m/s = average velocity
Good!
 


ohh i see, yeah that's definitely not right:) thanks for pointing it out. so total time is 73.2/1.22m/s= 60 sec
73.2/3.05m/s=24 seconds
total distance = 73.2 x 2=146.4m
velocity is 146.4/84=1.743m/s..hope that's right! thankyou for your input it really helps:)
 


J-Girl said:
so total time is 73.2/1.22m/s= 60 sec
73.2/3.05m/s=24 seconds
total distance = 73.2 x 2=146.4m
velocity is 146.4/84=1.743m/s..hope that's right!
Now you've got it. :approve: