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Re: speed and velocity

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian McInnes <bmcinnes@PNC.COM.AU>
To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU <PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU>
Date: Monday, November 23, 1998 10:00 PM
Subject: speed and velocity

(1) 'Speed" is a handy word for "magnitude of velocity". In most
. . . Brian McInnes

A serious problem arises when speaking of average speed. The term
"average speed" can mean:

1) the average value of the magnitude of the velocity; or
2) the total distance traveled divided by the total elapsed time.

There are texts which define speed as the magnitude of the velocity and
then give problems asking for the "average speed", intending definition
(2) above.

-Bob

Physics, Edinboro Univ of PA (ret)
trebor@velocity.net
http://www.velocity.net/~trebor