Velocity Formula - Definition, Examples, Quiz, FAQ, Trivia
Discover how we measure motion and speed in a simple way
What is Velocity?
Velocity tells us both how fast something is moving and in what direction it's going. It's different from speed because speed only tells us how fast something is moving, not where it's headed.
Think of a car driving down a highway. If we say the car is moving at 60 miles per hour north, that's velocity. But if we only say it's moving at 60 miles per hour, that's just speed.
Velocity Definition
Velocity is the rate of change of an object's position with respect to time and direction.
Real World Example
Imagine a bird flying at 15 meters per second toward the east. Its velocity is 15 m/s east. If the bird turns and flies west at the same speed, its velocity changes even though its speed stays the same!
Velocity Formula
The basic formula for velocity is simple:
Where:
• v is velocity (measured in meters per second, m/s)
• d is displacement (how far an object moves in a specific direction)
• t is time (measured in seconds)
Measure Displacement
Find how far the object moved and in what direction
Measure Time
Determine how long it took to move that distance
Divide
Divide displacement by time to get velocity
Example Calculation
A train travels 300 meters north in 60 seconds. What is its velocity?
Solution:
Displacement (d) = 300 m north
Time (t) = 60 s
Velocity (v) = d ÷ t = 300 ÷ 60 = 5 m/s north
Types of Velocity
There are two main types of velocity that scientists use:
Average Velocity
Total displacement divided by total time for a journey
Instantaneous Velocity
Velocity at a specific moment in time
Velocity vs. Speed
It's important to understand the difference between velocity and speed:
| Velocity | Speed |
|---|---|
| Includes direction | No direction information |
| Vector quantity | Scalar quantity |
| Can be negative | Always positive |
| Changes with direction | Only changes with magnitude |
Remember
Velocity includes both how fast and in what direction. Speed only tells how fast!
Velocity Formula Quiz
Test your knowledge about velocity with this quiz! Answer all 5 questions to see how much you've learned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to common questions about velocity:
Motion Trivia
Discover some amazing facts about velocity and motion!
Fastest Human-Made Object
The Parker Solar Probe reached 430,000 miles per hour in 2021 - that's fast enough to travel from New York to Tokyo in under a minute!
Fastest Animal
The peregrine falcon can reach speeds of 240 mph when diving for prey - that's faster than most race cars!
Earth's Motion
Even when you're sitting still, you're actually moving! Earth rotates at about 1,000 mph and orbits the sun at 67,000 mph!
Speed of Light
Light travels at 670,616,629 mph! At this speed, light could circle Earth 7.5 times in just one second!
