Ever wonder why your satnav tells you you're going "50...
Physics135 views·Updated Jun 25, 2026·2 pagesUnderstanding Speed and Velocity: Simple Fundamentals
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Speed and Velocity - What's the Difference?
Speed tells you how fast something is moving - it's the rate at which an object covers distance. Think of it like your car's speedometer showing 30 mph. Velocity is speed with a twist - it includes direction too, like "30 mph towards Manchester."
The key difference lies in whether direction matters. Speed is a scalar quantity, which means it only has magnitude (size). Velocity is a vector quantity, so it has both magnitude and direction.
Here's the difference in action: saying "the car moves at 50 m/s" describes speed, whilst "the car moves at 50 m/s east" describes velocity. That little word "east" changes everything!
Quick Tip: Remember it this way - if you need to know which way something's going, you're talking about velocity, not speed.
2
of 2
Calculating Speed and Velocity
Just like speed and velocity, distance and displacement aren't the same thing. Distance is scalar (just "10 metres"), whilst displacement is vector ("10 metres east"). Direction makes all the difference!
The calculations are straightforward. For speed: distance travelled ÷ time taken = speed. So 100m ÷ 10s = 10 m/s. For velocity: displacement ÷ time taken = velocity. So 100m north ÷ 10s = 10 m/s north.
Here's something clever - velocity can be negative! This doesn't mean you're going slower than zero; it means you're moving in the opposite direction. If east is positive, then west would be negative velocity.
Remember: The formulas look nearly identical, but velocity always includes direction in both the calculation and the answer.
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Physics135 views·Updated Jun 25, 2026·2 pagesUnderstanding Speed and Velocity: Simple Fundamentals
suebwiwiwhwwiwn@sjebwiwbwjebnw
Ever wonder why your satnav tells you you're going "50 mph northeast" instead of just "50 mph"? Understanding the difference between speed and velocity is crucial for physics - and it's simpler than you might think!
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Speed and Velocity - What's the Difference?
Speed tells you how fast something is moving - it's the rate at which an object covers distance. Think of it like your car's speedometer showing 30 mph. Velocity is speed with a twist - it includes direction too, like "30 mph towards Manchester."
The key difference lies in whether direction matters. Speed is a scalar quantity, which means it only has magnitude (size). Velocity is a vector quantity, so it has both magnitude and direction.
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Quick Tip: Remember it this way - if you need to know which way something's going, you're talking about velocity, not speed.
2
of 2Sign up to see the content. It's free!
- Access to all documents
- Improve your grades
- Join milions of students
Calculating Speed and Velocity
Just like speed and velocity, distance and displacement aren't the same thing. Distance is scalar (just "10 metres"), whilst displacement is vector ("10 metres east"). Direction makes all the difference!
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Here's something clever - velocity can be negative! This doesn't mean you're going slower than zero; it means you're moving in the opposite direction. If east is positive, then west would be negative velocity.
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