Speed and velocity 4 quick questions

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around concepts of speed, velocity, and acceleration in physics, specifically addressing questions related to their definitions and relationships. Participants explore the nature of these physical quantities and their implications in various scenarios.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss whether speed can change if velocity is constant, the relationship between distance and time in calculating average velocity, and the nature of acceleration as a vector. Questions arise about the necessary quantities for determining average velocity and the implications of different physical scenarios, such as friction affecting a hockey puck's motion.

Discussion Status

Some participants provide affirmations and clarifications regarding the nature of acceleration and the relationship between distance and time for average velocity. There is an ongoing exploration of different interpretations and conditions under which these concepts apply, with no explicit consensus reached on all points.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference textbook definitions and question the completeness of their understanding, indicating a need for clarity on the distinctions between scalar and vector quantities. The discussion also hints at the influence of external factors like friction on motion, which may not be fully addressed in the initial questions.

Optikspik
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1. If a block is moving at constant velocity, can the speed change? (yes or no question) I think the answer is no. Because The scalar quantity of the speed will be the same as the velocity, but I am not sure.

2. An ice hockey puck is being shot at with 150m/s , how long time does it take for it to move 10 meters. I don't understand the question, will there be any forces/ acceleration or something or just s=v/t?

3. Is acceleration a vector? I think i know this question it is yes, because u usually write a with an arrow above it.

4. Which two
Physical quantity is needed to determine average velocity, is it "distance" and "time" or what words do i want to use there? And is "x" and"t" the only answer, or can "a" and "t" be an answer, or "v0" and "v_f" be an answer to this question?
 
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Optikspik said:
I think the answer is no.
Correct.
Speed and velocity are not the same, but if you don't change a vector, its magnitude won't change either.

Optikspik said:
2. An ice hockey puck is being shot at with 150m/s , how long time does it take for it to move 10 meters. I don't understand the question, will there be any forces/ acceleration or something or just s=v/t?
Depends on the problem statement. A real hockey puck will certainly slow down, an idealized one for a problem might ignore friction.
Optikspik said:
3. Is acceleration a vector? I think i know this question it is yes, because u usually write a with an arrow above it.
It is.
Optikspik said:
Physical quantity is needed to determine average velocity, is it "distance" and "time" or what words do i want to use there? And is "x" and"t" the only answer, or can "a" and "t" be an answer, or "v0" and "v_f" be an answer to this question?
Depends on the problem you are solving. If you know the total time and the total distance, you can calculate the average velocity, but that is not the only option.
 
The question was only, which physics quanitites do you need to know to solve "average velocity" , more specifik which "two". My book says distance and time, but are there any else?
 
Optikspik said:
3. Is acceleration a vector? I think i know this question it is yes, because u usually write a with an arrow above it.
That is a sound basis for guessing it is a vector, but it is not the reason it is a vector. It is a vector because it is the change in velocity divided by time, velocity being a vector and time being a scalar. The difference of two vectors is a vector, and a vector divided by a scalar is a vector.
Optikspik said:
4. Which two
Physical quantity is needed to determine average velocity, is it "distance" and "time" or what words do i want to use there? And is "x" and"t" the only answer, or can "a" and "t" be an answer, or "v0" and "v_f" be an answer to this question?
I would take distance to be a scalar, so no, this will not give you average velocity. The vector for change of position is usually called displacement.
See http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson-1/Distance-and-Displacement
 

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