Answer:
Speed and velocity are both terms used to describe how fast an object is moving, but they have distinct differences:
Definition:
Speed: Speed is a scalar quantity that measures how fast an object is moving regardless of direction. It only provides information about the magnitude (how much) of the motion.
Velocity: Velocity is a vector quantity that measures both the speed and the direction of an object's motion. It includes information about the magnitude and the specific direction in which the object is moving.
Magnitude vs. Magnitude and Direction:
Speed: Speed only considers the magnitude of motion. It tells you how fast an object is moving but doesn't specify in which direction.
Velocity: Velocity includes both the magnitude (speed) and the direction. It provides a complete description of an object's motion.
Scalar vs. Vector:
Speed: Speed is a scalar quantity because it has only magnitude and no direction. It is represented by a single number with units (e.g., 50 m/s).
Velocity: Velocity is a vector quantity because it has both magnitude (speed) and direction. It is represented by a vector with units (e.g., 50 m/s north).
Example:
If a car travels at a speed of 60 miles per hour, it tells you how fast the car is moving, but it doesn't specify if it's moving north, south, east, or west. This is an example of speed.
If a car travels at a velocity of 60 miles per hour north, it not only tells you how fast it's moving but also in which direction. This is an example of velocity.
Mathematical Representation:
Speed: Speed is typically represented as a single scalar value (e.g., v = 60 m/s).
Velocity: Velocity is represented as a vector with both magnitude and direction (e.g., v = 60 m/s north).
Step-by-step explanation:
In summary, the key difference between speed and velocity is that speed is a scalar quantity that only considers how fast an object is moving, while velocity is a vector quantity that considers both speed and direction, providing a more complete description of motion.