Comparing Car A and B's Velocity on London to Birmingham and Nottingham Routes

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around comparing the velocities of two cars traveling from London to Birmingham and London to Nottingham, both at a speed of 25 m/s. Participants explore the distinction between velocity and speed, particularly focusing on the directional components of each journey.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants question whether the velocities of the two cars can be considered equal, prompting discussions about the importance of direction in defining velocity versus speed.

Discussion Status

The conversation has evolved from initial assumptions about equal velocities to a more nuanced understanding of directionality. Some participants have provided insights about the geographical positions of Birmingham and Nottingham relative to London, leading to a reconsideration of the initial claim of equality.

Contextual Notes

There is an ongoing exploration of the geographical directions of the cities involved, with some participants noting that Birmingham and Nottingham are not directly north of London, which affects the comparison of their velocities.

roza-chan
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1. Homework Statement
car A goes from london to birmingham with 25m/s vilocity,car B goes from london to nottingham with 25m/s



Homework Equations


velocity=displacement/time



3. The Attempt at a Solution
are those two car's velocity equal?explain it
 
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Well, what do you think? Hint: What's the key difference between velocity and speed?
 
velocity has directions but speed doesn't have one...does this get to something?
 
roza-chan said:
velocity has directions but speed doesn't have one...does this get to something?
Exactly. So ask yourself: Are the directions the same?
 
yeah they are both to north...so they are equal right?
 
roza-chan said:
yeah they are both to north...so they are equal right?
I have no idea where Birmingham and Nottingham are, but if they are both exactly north of London then their displacements from London will have the same direction.
 
ya they are both in north of london,so if they are both going with 25m/s and both to north (same direction)so that means they are equal right?
 
OK, I'm now looking at a map of the UK. I would say that neither city is directly North of London, and if I draw a displacement vector from London to each city, those vectors don't look parallel to me!
 
umm well you one of them is more north and the other is a bit to east...and which mean they're not exactly the same direction..so it means they are not equal after all?
 
  • #10
roza-chan said:
umm well you one of them is more north and the other is a bit to east...and which mean they're not exactly the same direction..so it means they are not equal after all?
That's what I would say. (More important than any particular answer is knowing the reasoning behind it.)
 
  • #11
thanx a lot for the help~~
 

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