Average Velocity
Recall that VELOCITY is a vector quantity (quantity having both MAGNITUDE and DIRECTION).
SPEED, on the other hand = | VELOCITY |, thus always making it a non-negative quantity.
Thus, there are times when velocity can be negative.
The following graph and table provides information with respect to a person driving away from home.
Let t = the number of hours that have passed.
Let d = this person's displacement from home.
Study the graph and table carefully. (They display the same information.)
Then, answer the questions that appear below the applet.
1.
What was the average velocity for the first half hour of your trip?
2.
What was your average velocity from t = 0.5 hr to t = 1 hr?
3.
What was your average velocity between t = 1.5 hrs to t = 2 hrs? Explain what your answer physically means with respect to the context of this story.
4.
What was your average velocity for the entire trip? (Assume your trip took 2.5 hours.)
5.
Between what two listed 1/2-hr increments was your average speed the greatest?