Velocity and average velocity are both terms used to describe the motion of an object, but they have distinct meanings.
Velocity: Velocity is a vector quantity that describes the rate of change of an object's displacement with respect to time. It includes both magnitude (speed) and direction. In other words, velocity tells us how fast an object is moving and in which direction. For example, if an object is moving in a straight line at a constant speed, its velocity will be the speed of the object in the given direction.
Average Velocity: Average velocity is also a vector quantity that represents the displacement of an object divided by the time taken to travel that displacement. It gives us an idea of the overall change in position of an object per unit of time. Average velocity is calculated by taking the total displacement and dividing it by the total time taken. It is expressed as a vector with magnitude and direction.
The key difference between velocity and average velocity lies in the time frame over which they are calculated. Velocity refers to the instantaneous velocity at a particular moment in time, whereas average velocity is calculated over a specific time interval. Average velocity provides information about the average rate at which an object is changing its position over that interval, regardless of any variations in speed or direction during that period.
In summary, velocity refers to the instantaneous speed and direction of an object, while average velocity represents the average displacement per unit of time over a given interval.