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Speed, Velocity

Textbook 🔗

  1. Collect a sciPad
  2. Name it
  3. Bring it to class (and home) every day in case of illness

Ngā Whāinga Ako 🔗

  1. Name the metric units of distance, time and speed and give their symbols.
  2. Define the term speed.
  3. Calculate the average speed of objects. Use $v=d/t$.

What is Speed? 🔗

Head up “Speed” in your book"

You know that someone who finishes a race in the shortest time is the fastest. That they have the highest speed.

Speed is the amount of distance covered in some amount of time.


Units of Speed 🔗


Calculating Speed 🔗

To calculate speed we need to know two things!


Speed vs Velocity 🔗


How to Calculate Velocity 🔗

$$ \begin{aligned} velocity &= \frac{\text{change in distance}}{\text{change in time}} \newline v &= \frac{\Delta d}{\Delta t} \newline \end{aligned} $$

It is measured in meters per second, also shown as $\frac{m}{s}$ or $ms^{-1}$.


How Do We Solve Problems? 🔗

  1. Knowns
  2. Unknowns
  3. Formula
  4. Substitute
  5. Solve

Question 1: Velocity 🔗

A rock climber climbs 15 meters in 5.48 seconds. What velocity was he travelling?

Mr Le Sueur @ Cattlestop Crag


Question 1: Answer 🔗

  1. Knowns: $\text{distance (d)}=15m$, $\text{time (t)} = 5.48s$
  2. Unknowns: $\text{velocity (v)}$
  3. Formula: $v = \frac{\Delta d}{\Delta t}$
  4. Substitute: $v = \frac{15}{5.48}$
  5. Solve: $v = 2.74\frac{m}{s}$

Question 2 🔗

CHS Trail Running Club


Question 2: Answer 🔗

  1. Knowns: $\text{distance (d)} = 4.61km = 4610m$, $\text{time (t)} = 21min, 16s = 1276s$
  2. Unknowns: $\text{velocity (v)}$
  3. Formula: $v = \frac{\Delta d}{\Delta t}$
  4. Substitute: $v = \frac{4610}{1276}$
  5. Solve: $v = 3.61\frac{m}{s}$

Question 3 🔗

Mt Thomas


Question 3: Answer 🔗

  1. Knowns: $\text{velocity (v)} = 1.51\frac{m}{s}$, $\text{time (t)} = 1hr, 18min, 11s = 4691s$
  2. Unknowns: $\text{distance (d)}$
  3. Formula: $v = \frac{\Delta d}{\Delta t}$
  4. Substitute: $1.51 = \frac{d}{4691}$
  5. Solve: $1.51 \times 4691 = d = 7083.41m$

Do Now: sciPAD Page 8, 9, 10 🔗