An object travels North at 2 "m/s" for 8 s and then travels South at 5 "m/s" for 6 s. What are the object's average speed and velocity?

1 Answer
Pankaj Solanki
Sep 20, 2017

"Average Speed"=23/7m/s
"Average Velocity"=-1m/s (direction in South)

Explanation:

"distance"="speed"*"time"

North Direction
speed=2m/s and time=8s
distance traveled in North =2*8=16 m

South Direction
speed=5m/s and time=6s
distance traveled in North =5*6=30 m

Total Distance Traveled =16+30=46 m
Total Displacement =16-30=-14m
(16 m in North and 46 m in South) (taking North Side as positive)
Total Time =8+6=14 s

"Average Speed"="Total Distance"/"Time"=46/14=23/7m/s
"Average Velocity"="Total Displacement"/"Time"=-14/14=-1m/s
(direction in South)

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