Velocity and average velocity are both concepts used to describe the motion of an object, but they have different meanings.
Velocity refers to the rate at which an object changes its position in a specific direction. It is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. Velocity is calculated by dividing the change in position (displacement) by the time taken for that change to occur. Mathematically, velocity (v) is represented as:
v = Δx/Δt
where Δx is the change in position and Δt is the change in time. The SI unit for velocity is meters per second (m/s).
Average velocity, on the other hand, is the total displacement of an object divided by the total time taken. It is also a vector quantity. Average velocity is used when an object's velocity changes over time or when considering motion in different directions. Mathematically, average velocity (v_avg) is represented as:
v_avg = Δx_total/Δt_total
where Δx_total is the total change in position and Δt_total is the total change in time.
In summary, velocity refers to the instantaneous rate of change of position, while average velocity represents the total displacement divided by the total time. Velocity provides information about an object's motion at a particular instant, whereas average velocity describes the overall motion over a given time interval.