To calculate the average velocity of an object, you need to determine the change in position (displacement) and the time interval over which the change occurs. The formula for average velocity is:
Average velocity = (Change in position) / (Time interval)
Mathematically, this can be written as:
Average velocity = (Final position - Initial position) / (Final time - Initial time)
Here's a step-by-step example of calculating average velocity:
Determine the initial position of the object and the final position of the object. Let's denote the initial position as x₁ and the final position as x₂.
Note the initial time and the final time during which the object's position is measured. Denote the initial time as t₁ and the final time as t₂.
Calculate the change in position by subtracting the initial position from the final position:
Change in position = x₂ - x₁
- Calculate the change in time by subtracting the initial time from the final time:
Change in time = t₂ - t₁
- Finally, divide the change in position by the change in time to get the average velocity:
Average velocity = (x₂ - x₁) / (t₂ - t₁)
It's important to note that average velocity represents the overall displacement per unit time over the given time interval. It does not capture the instantaneous velocity at any specific moment during that interval.