Average velocity and constant velocity are related concepts but have distinct meanings:
- Average Velocity: Average velocity is a measure of the displacement of an object over a given time interval. It is calculated by dividing the total displacement by the total time taken. Mathematically, average velocity (V_avg) is defined as:
V_avg = (Δx) / (Δt),
where Δx represents the change in position (displacement) of the object and Δt represents the corresponding change in time.
Average velocity considers the overall change in position and time, providing information about the object's net displacement during the interval. It can be positive, negative, or zero, depending on the direction of the displacement.
- Constant Velocity: Constant velocity refers to the motion of an object when its velocity remains unchanged over time. If an object has constant velocity, its speed and direction remain constant. In other words, it moves at a steady rate in a straight line without any changes in speed or direction.
When an object has constant velocity, its average velocity over any time interval will be the same as its instantaneous velocity at any given moment. The average velocity will be equal to the constant velocity itself. In this case, there is no acceleration because acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, and since the velocity is constant, there is no change in velocity to produce acceleration.
To summarize, average velocity represents the overall displacement over a given time interval, while constant velocity implies that the velocity remains unchanged throughout. Constant velocity implies zero acceleration because there is no change in velocity.