Instantaneous Speed and Instantaneous Velocity - Definition, FAQs
This article contains the explanation for speed, velocity, instantaneous and average speed and velocity and how do you measure instantaneous speed and instantaneous velocity with suitable examples
Difference between the terms instant and average:
The event that occurs with infinitesimal interval change of time is defined as instant. Meanwhile, the term average refers to the mean of the total event with respect to total time.
Define instantaneous velocity:
In physics, Instantaneous velocity definition can be given as the rate of change of position for a period of time equal to almost zero (i.e.very small). The SI unit of the instantaneous velocity is given in the terms of meter per second.
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Define instantaneous speed:
In terms of physics, Instantaneous speed definition can be given as the instantaneous velocity without considering its direction i.e. it refers to the magnitude of the instantaneous velocity.
Now, let us elaborate the instantaneous speed definition and instantaneous velocity definition by comparing it with the average speed and average velocity respectively.
Instantaneous velocity:
The meaning of the velocity of any object is the speed of that object in a particular direction. Instantaneous velocity can be defined as the velocity of any object which is in motion at some particular or specific point time interval. The object which maintains its motion in a uniform velocity, then it possesses an instantaneous velocity which is equal to its standard velocity. The average velocity of any object can be defined as the total displacement by total time period.
Formula for Instantaneous velocity:
The instantaneous velocity formula can be represented as the follow:
Vi = limΔt→0ds/dt
Where, t denotes the small change in the time period
Vi denotes the instantaneous velocity
ds refers to the change in the displacement of the object
t represents the time period
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SI unit of the instantaneous velocity:
The SI unit of the instantaneous velocity is given by m/s, where m denotes meter and s denotes the second. Instantaneous velocity is a vector quantity. Instantaneous velocity is also defined as the slope of the distance x - time t graph.
Difference between average velocity and instantaneous velocity:
| Average velocity | Instantaneous velocity |
| The total displacement by total time period is known as average velocity | The displacement divided by small time period at specific point is known as instantaneous velocity |
| Average velocity = total displacement/ total time | Instantaneous velocity = displacement for specific point/ time at that instant |
| The value of average velocity depends on a range of values | The value of the instantaneous velocity depends on an instant value. |
Instantaneous Speed:
The average speed of the object is defined as the total distance divided by the total time taken by the object to move from one point to the other. When the time interval becomes zero, then the distance by the object also becomes zero. But if the limit of the distance ratio to time is not zero, then it is known as instantaneous speed.
Formula for Instantaneous speed :
The formula for Instantaneous speed can be given as the follow:
Instantaneous speed=ds/dt
Where, ds denotes the small change in the distance of the object
dt represents the small change in the time period.
NCERT Physics Notes:
SI unit of the instantaneous speed:
The SI unit of the instantaneous speed is given by m/s, where m denotes meter in distance and s denotes the second in time. Instantaneous speed is a scalar quantity.
Difference between average speed and instantaneous speed:
| Average speed | Instantaneous speed |
| The total distance by total time period is known as average speed | The distance divided by small time period at specific point is known as instantaneous speed |
| Average speed= total distance/ total time | Instantaneous speed= distance for specific point/ time at that instant |
| The value of average speed depends on a range of values | The value of the instantaneous speed depends on an instant value. |
Also read :
- NCERT notes Class 11 Physics Chapter 3 Motion in a straight line
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Difference between instantaneous speed and instantaneous velocity:
| Instantaneous speed | Instantaneous velocity |
| The distance divided by small time period at specific point is known as instantaneous speed | The displacement divided by small time period at specific point is known as instantaneous velocity |
| Instantaneous speed= distance for specific point/ time at that instant | Instantaneous velocity = displacement for specific point/ time at that instant |
| The value of the instantaneous speed depends on an instant value. | The value of the instantaneous velocity depends on an instant value. |
| Instantaneous speed=ds/dt | Vi = limΔt→0ds/dt |
| Instantaneous speed is a scalar quantity | Instantaneous velocity is a vector quantity |
From the above article, we saw difference between speed and velocity, explanation of instantaneous velocity and speed, how to find instantaneous velocity and speed with respective formulae, difference between average speed and instantaneous speed and difference between average velocity and instantaneous velocity. Now, let us see some frequently asked questions from class 10, class 11 and class 12 in the topic related to instantaneous speed, instantaneous Velocity, average speed and average Velocity.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Instantaneous velocity can be defined as the velocity of any object which is in motion at some particular or specific point time interval.
The instantaneous velocity formula can be represented as the follow:
Vi = limΔt→0ds/dt
Where, t denotes the small change in the time period
Vi denotes the instantaneous velocity
ds refers to the change in the displacement of the object
t represents the time period
The average velocity of any object can be defined as the total displacement by total time period.
The SI unit of the instantaneous velocity is given by m/s, where m denotes meter and s denotes the second.
No , it is not a scalar quantity. Instantaneous velocity is a vector quantity.
The value of the distance divided by a small time period at a specific point is known as instantaneous speed.
The formula for Instantaneous speed can be given as the follow:
Instantaneous speed=ds/dt
Where, ds denotes the small change in the distance of the object
dt represents the small change in the time period.
The SI unit of the instantaneous speed is given by m/s, where m denotes meter and s denotes the second.
No, It is not a vector quantity, but Instantaneous speed is a scalar quantity.
The average speed of the object is defined as the total distance divided by the total time taken by the object to move from one point to the other.
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