Speed, Velocity, Acceleration

• Speed describes the distance traveled per unit time
• Speed is a scalar quantity
• To compute for speed, use the formula: speed = distance / time
• Velocity describes the displacement traveled per unit time
• Velocity is a vector quantity
• To compute for velocity, use the formula: velocity = displacement / time
• Acceleration occurs when velocities change
• Examples of acceleration include turning a corner, free fall, braking, and accelerating
• To compute for acceleration, use the formula: acceleration = (vf - vi) / t or (final velocity - intitial velocity) / time
• How do velocities change?

  Change in speed, change in direction
• How fast an object is moving?

  Speed
• How fast an object is moving and where is it going?

  Velocity
• The velocity is changing a constant amount each second


  Uniform or Constant acceleration
• The velocity is changing a varying amount each second



  Non-uniform or Non-constant acceleration
• (final velocity - initial velocity) / acceleration is the formula for what?


  Time
• (acceleration x time) + initial velocity is the formula for what?

  Final velocity
• Final velocity - (acceleration x time) is the formula for what?

  Initial velocity
• Example: Find the speed of the tortoise if it took five hours to travel three kilometers.

  The tortoise traveled at a speed of 0.6 km/h
• Example: Martin rides a bicycle at 1.5 m/s south. 10 seconds later, he is pedaling at 3.0 m/s south.

  Martin's acceleration is 0.15 m/s^2 south
• Example: A Philippine Airlines plane covers 852 km from Manila to Cebu for 1.5 hours.

  The plane should have a velocity of 568 km/h, south