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Speed is a scalar quantity and thus a general term; if a car is traveling at 60 mph that is its speed;

Velocity is a vector quantity that has speed and direction associated with it. If a car is traveling at 60 mph due east that is its velocity.

The two terms are often used interchangeably.

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13y ago
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14y ago

Speed is what is known as a scalar quantity. This means that speed is always given as a positive number or as magnitude only. Speed comes in units of distance per unit of time, and something like 50 miles per hour is a common example.

Velocity has to measured in a given direction, and it is a vector quantity. Another way to look at velocity is speed in a given direction. Because direction is important in velocity, a positive number is used to represent a forward motion and a negative number is used to represent a motion in the opposite direction. Extending the example from above, 50 miles per hour east could be a measure of velocity (as it has the direction associated with it).

To summarize, velocity is a vector, and it must have botha magnitude and a direction. Speed is just the magnitude element of the velocity.

HINT: A simple way to tell which graph is which is to check for negative values on the y-axis (values in the 3rd and 4th quadrant). Where negative values occur, the graph must be a velocity-time graph rather than a speed-time graph. Additionally, inspect the units assigned to the two axes. The time axis will be in units of time, of course, but the other axis will either be in distance only (for the speed graph), or in distance in a given direction (for the velocity graph).

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13y ago

Speed is a scalar, velocity is a vector. In other words, when a direction is important, you talk about velocity.

Speed is a scalar, velocity is a vector. In other words, when a direction is important, you talk about velocity.

Speed is a scalar, velocity is a vector. In other words, when a direction is important, you talk about velocity.

Speed is a scalar, velocity is a vector. In other words, when a direction is important, you talk about velocity.

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13y ago

Speed is a scalar, velocity is a vector. In other words, when a direction is important, you talk about velocity.

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Q: The difference between speed and velocity?
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Related questions

What is an example of the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is what it is: speed. Velocity is speed in a given direction, a vector quantity.


What is speed the difference Between speed and velocity?

Speed is just a number; velocity includes information about the direction. In physical terms, speed is a scalar, whereas velocity is a vector.


What is the difference is between speed and velocity?

Speed is just a number; velocity includes information about the direction. In physical terms, speed is a scalar, whereas velocity is a vector.


The distance between speed and velocity is that velocity includes?

Velocity includes direction. And it's the 'difference', not the 'distance'.


What is the difference between speed velocity acceleration?

Speed is the rate of change in distance, whereas velocity is speed and direction of travel. Acceleration is the change in velocity (including direction).


What factor is the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is exactly like velocity, except velocity has a fixed direction. So speed would be 50mph, whereas velocity would be 50mph NE


The main diference between speed and velocity involves?

The main difference between speed and velocity is that speed is a scalar quantity, representing only magnitude, while velocity is a vector quantity, representing both magnitude and direction. Speed describes how fast an object is moving, while velocity describes the rate of change of an object's position in a particular direction.


What is the difference betweenn speed and velocity?

Velocity is speed with a direction


Differenties between speed n velocity?

speed =dist/time velocity=displacement/time difference is that velocity depicts the direction in which a body is moving as displacement is one of it"s attriebutes but speed does not


What is the difference between an object's speed and a object's velocity?

The difference between an object's speed and an object's velocity is that the object's speed is how fast it is going, and the object's velocity is how many units of speed the object has traveled.


What are difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is a scalar quantity that reflects how fast an object is moving, while velocity is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction. Speed is the magnitude of velocity. Velocity provides a more comprehensive description of an object's motion compared to speed.


Which BEST describes the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is the rate at which an object moves, whereas velocity also includes the direction of motion. Speed is a scalar quantity, while velocity is a vector quantity.