Displacement and average velocity

In summary, displacement is the straight-line distance from an object's starting position to its ending position, taking into account both magnitude and direction. It differs from distance, which is the total length traveled regardless of starting and ending positions. Average velocity, a vector quantity, is the displacement divided by the time it took to travel that distance. It differs from average speed, a scalar quantity, which is the total distance divided by time. Displacement can be calculated using the formula d = xf - xi and measured using tools such as a ruler or GPS device.
  • #1
copitlory8
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How would I find the direction in degrees of average velocity in a problem where I have calculated displacement to be 1.65 km at 25° north of west and the average velocity to be .55km/h?
 
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  • #2
copitlory8 said:
How would I find the direction in degrees of average velocity in a problem where I have calculated displacement to be 1.65 km at 25° north of west and the average velocity to be .55km/h?
What is the definition of average velocity? That will answer your question.

AM
 
  • #3


To find the direction in degrees of average velocity, we first need to understand the difference between displacement and average velocity. Displacement is a vector quantity that describes the straight-line distance and direction from the starting point to the end point of an object's motion. On the other hand, average velocity is a measure of the overall change in position of an object over a period of time, taking into account the direction of motion.

In this problem, we know that the displacement is 1.65 km at 25° north of west. This means that the object has moved 1.65 km in a direction that is 25° north of west from its starting point. To determine the direction of average velocity, we need to consider the overall change in position and the time it took for the object to cover that distance.

Since the average velocity is given as 0.55 km/h, we can interpret this as the object covering a distance of 0.55 km every hour. Therefore, in order to find the direction of average velocity in degrees, we need to divide the displacement (1.65 km) by the average velocity (0.55 km/h) to get the time it took for the object to cover that distance. This would be approximately 3 hours.

Next, we can use the inverse tangent function to find the angle in degrees. The inverse tangent of (1.65/0.55) is approximately 70.5°. This means that the average velocity is directed at an angle of 70.5° north of west.

In conclusion, to find the direction of average velocity in degrees, we need to divide the displacement by the average velocity and use the inverse tangent function to find the angle. In this problem, the average velocity is directed at an angle of 70.5° north of west.
 

FAQ: Displacement and average velocity

What is displacement?

Displacement is the straight-line distance from an object's starting position to its ending position. It is a vector quantity that includes both magnitude and direction.

How is displacement different from distance?

Distance is the total length traveled by an object, regardless of its starting and ending positions. Displacement takes into account the change in position and is typically shorter than the total distance traveled.

What is average velocity?

Average velocity is the displacement of an object divided by the time it took to travel that distance. It is a vector quantity that includes both magnitude and direction.

How is average velocity different from average speed?

Average speed is the total distance traveled divided by the time it took to travel that distance. It is a scalar quantity that only includes magnitude, not direction. Average velocity takes into account the change in position and may be different from average speed if the object changes direction.

How is displacement calculated and measured?

Displacement can be calculated using the formula d = xf - xi, where xf is the final position and xi is the initial position of the object. It can be measured using a variety of tools, such as a ruler, tape measure, or GPS device, depending on the scale of the displacement being measured.

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