When describing the motion of objects in terms of distance, time, and direction, physicists use the basic quantities of speed and velocity. Two terms, two distinct meanings. Yet, not uncommonly, we hear these terms used interchangeably. So, what’s the difference? Why is it incorrect to use the terms speed and velocity interchangeably?
The reason is simple. Speed is the time rate at which an object is moving along a path, while velocity is the rate and direction of an object’s movement. Put another way, speed is a scalar value, while velocity is a vector. For example, 50 km/hr (31 mph) describes the speed at which a car is traveling along a road, while 50 km/hr west describes the velocity at which it is traveling.
The mathematical calculation for speed is relatively straightforward, wherein the average speed of an object is calculated by dividing the distance traveled by the time it took the object to travel the distance. Velocity, on the other hand, is more complicated mathematically and can be calculated in different ways, depending on what information is available about the object’s motion. In its simplest form, average velocity is calculated by dividing change in position (Δr) by change in time (Δt).
