Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Method One: Average speed
• Method 2 of 4: Method Two: Speed ​​and Acceleration
• Method 3 of 4: Method Three: Initial speed and acceleration
• Method 4 of 4: Method Four: Speed ​​in a circular motion
• Necessities

Speed ​​is the movement of an object over a specific time. The standard method of determining the speed of an object is by dividing the change in distance traveled by the change over time, but there are other methods you can use to calculate the speed and vectorial speed (En. velocity; take into account the direction of the displacement). Here are some you should know.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Method One: Average speed

1. Memorize the formula for average speed. The average speed is the distance traveled (speed) or the displacement (vectorial speed) divided by the elapsed time.
   • This formula can be written as:
     • v (av) = [d (f) - d (i)] / [t (f) - t (i)]
     • OR
     • v (av) = Δd / Δt
   • v (av) stands for "average speed"
   • d (f) stands for "end position" and d (i) stands for "starting position"
   • t (f) stands for "end time" and t (i) stands for "start time"
   • Δd stands for "displacement" and Δt stands for "elapsed time"
2. Calculate the total distance traveled. To calculate the distance traveled or the displacement, you must first subtract the end position from the start position.
   • Example: Δd = d (f) - d (i)
     • Starting point: 5 m
     • End point: 25 m
     • Δd = d (f) - d (i) = 25 - 5 = 20 m
3. Calculate the total time it takes to travel the distance. To calculate the total time required, you need the difference between the start and end time.
   • Example: Δt = t (f) - t (i)
     • Start time: 4 s
     • End time: 8 s
     • Δt = t (f) - t (i) = 8 - 4 = 4 s
4. Divide the distance traveled by the elapsed time. To find the speed, divide the distance traveled by the change in time.
   • Example: v (av) = Δd / Δt = 20 m / 4 s = 5 m / s
5. Determine the direction of the movement. In order to be able to distinguish between speed and vector speed, it is important to indicate in which direction the displacement took place.
   • Example: 5 m / s east (north, south, west, etc.)

Method 2 of 4: Method Two: Speed ​​and Acceleration

1. The formula for calculating the acceleration. If you measured the acceleration of an object, you can find the speed of that object by multiplying the acceleration by the elapsed time and then adding the initial speed.
   • As a formula, this equation looks like this:
     • v = v (0) + (a * t)
     • Note that this equation is derived from the formula for finding the acceleration: a = [v - v (0)] / t
   • v stands for "speed (or vectorial speed: from the English term velocity)" and v (0) stands for "initial speed"
   • a stands for "acceleration"
   • t stands for "elapsed time"
   • Acceleration is the degree to which the speed of an object changes.
2. Multiply the acceleration by the total time measured. As long as the period and acceleration of the object are given you should be able to find the speed. The first step is to multiply the acceleration by the elapsed time.
   • Example: Calculate the vectorial speed of an object moving in a northerly direction with an acceleration of 10 m / s for 5 s. Note that the speed of the object is 2 m / s in a northerly direction.
     • a = 10 m / s2
     • t = 5 s
     • (a * t) = (10 * 5) = 50
3. Add the initial speed. You also need to know the initial speed to find out the average speed. Add the initial speed to the product of acceleration and time. This is the actual speed of the object.
   • Example: v (0) = 2 m / s
     • v = v (0) + (a * t) = 2 + (50) = 52 m / s
4. Specify the direction of the movement. To distinguish vectorial speed from speed, you have to indicate in which direction the object is moving.
   • Example: The vectorial speed is 52 m / s in a northerly direction.

Method 3 of 4: Method Three: Initial speed and acceleration

1. Learn the formula for the initial speed. You can derive an equation to calculate the initial speed by using the acceleration formula. You subtract the product of acceleration and time from the average speed of the object.
   • The equation formula is:
     • v (0) = v - (a * t)
   • Note that this formula is derived from the formula for the acceleration: a = [v - v (0)] / t
   • v stands for "speed" and v (0) stands for "initial speed"
   • a stands for "acceleration"
   • t stands for "elapsed time"
   • Acceleration is the change in the speed of an object.
2. Multiply the acceleration by the total time it took to move. To calculate the initial speed, it is necessary to multiply the acceleration (the change in speed) by the time elapsed during the displacement.
   • Example: Find the initial speed of an object moving north at a speed of 52 m / s and an acceleration of 10 m / s, for 5 s.
     • a = 10 m / s
     • t = 5 s
     • (a * t) = (10 * 5) = 50
3. Subtract the product from the speed. Besides the acceleration and the elapsed time, you also need to know the average speed of the object in question. Subtract the product of acceleration and time from the speed.
   • Note that with this you have calculated the initial speed of an object.
   • Example: v = 52 m / s
     • v = v - (a * t) = 52 - (50) = 2 m / s
4. Determine the direction in which the object is moving. Without a direction you only measure the speed, not the initial vectorial speed. If the vectorial speed is asked, you should be able to indicate in your answer what the direction is.
   • Example: The initial vectorial speed of the object is 2 m / s north.

Method 4 of 4: Method Four: Speed ​​in a circular motion

1. Learn the formula for the speed in a circular motion. This is the constant speed at which an object must move in order to maintain a circular orbit around another object, usually a planet or other heavy object.
   • The circular speed of an object is calculated by dividing the circumference of the circle (the distance traveled) by the period in which the object has moved.
   • As a formula, this equation looks like this:
     • v = (2Πr) / T
   • Remember that 2Πr equals the circumference of a circle.
   • r stands for "radius" or "radius"
   • T. stands for "duration" or "period"
2. Multiply the radius by two and by pi. The first step in solving this problem is to calculate the circumference of the circle. You do this by multiplying the radius by two and 3.14 (pi).
   • Example: Find the speed of an object moving along a circular path with a radius of 8 m during a time interval of 45 seconds.
     • r = 8 m
     • T = 45 s
     • Circumference of the circle = 2 * Π * r = 2 * 3.14 * 8 = 50.24 m
3. Divide this product by the period. To determine the constant speed of the object in question, divide the circumference of the circle by the duration of the object's movement.
   • Example: v = (2Πr) / T = 50.24 m / 45 s = 1.12 m / s
     • The speed of the object is 1.12 m / s.

Necessities

• Pencil (possibly)
• Paper (possibly)
• Calculator (optional)