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A car moves 600 m East in 60 s, then turns and moves 200 m West in 40 s. What is the average velocity of the car in m/s?
4
6
8
2
4
Average velocity is defined as the total displacement divided by the total time taken. Since displacement is a vector quantity, the direction of motion must be considered by assigning signs to the different directions.
Average velocity is defined as the total displacement divided by the total time taken. Since displacement is a vector quantity, the direction of motion must be considered by assigning signs to the different directions.
If you take two steps forward and one step back, your net progress is just one step forward, which determines your average velocity relative to your starting point.
VDT: Velocity = Displacement / Time (think of a V-D-T cable transmission).
vavgтАЛ=╬Фt╬ФxтАЛ тАФ definition of average velocity as total displacement over total time
╬Фx=xfinalтАЛтИТxinitialтАЛ тАФ calculation of displacement
Displacement is the shortest distance between the initial and final positions. Here, the car moves 600┬аm East (+) and 200┬аm West (тИТ). The total displacement is ╬Фx=600┬аmтИТ200┬аm=400┬аm. The total time is T=60┬аs+40┬аs=100┬аs. Average velocity is calculated as vavgтАЛ=T╬ФxтАЛ=100┬аs400┬аmтАЛ=4┬аm/s.
Average velocity is a vector quantity and depends on net displacement, not total distance covered.
If the car returned to the starting point, the average velocity would be 0┬аm/s even if the speed was non-zero.
The SI unit for average velocity is m/s.
Simplifies complex motion into a single directional representative value.
Does not reflect the instantaneous speed or velocity at any specific point during the journey.
Calculating the net progress of a vehicle in logistics.
Determining the resultant motion of objects in physics laboratory experiments.
Total distance would be 600+200=800┬аm, leading to an average speed of 8┬аm/s.
Option B (6┬аm/s) is a distractor derived from calculating (600+200)/(60+40) incorrectly as average of individual velocities or ignoring displacement logic.
Option C (8┬аm/s) represents the average speed, not the average velocity.
Option D (2┬аm/s) is a result of subtracting times incorrectly or miscalculating the displacement.
A is correct тАФ The total displacement of 400┬аm divided by the total time of 100┬аs yields an average velocity of 4┬аm/s.
Always differentiate between 'speed' (total distance / total time) and 'velocity' (net displacement / total time) in exam questions; they are rarely the same unless motion is strictly unidirectional.