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How can you tell the difference between an expression of speed and an expression of velocity?

A. velocity has unit expressed as distance/time; speed does not.
B. speed has units expressed as distance/time; velocity does not.
C. speed includes a direction; velocity does not.
D. velocity includes a direction; speed does not.

User JimmyCYJ
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2 Answers

5 votes

Final answer:

The difference between speed and velocity is that speed is a scalar quantity without direction, while velocity is a vector that includes direction. So the correct option is D.

Step-by-step explanation:

To differentiate between an expression of speed and an expression of velocity, understand that velocity includes a direction, whereas speed does not. This makes velocity a vector quantity and speed a scalar quantity. Both velocity and speed have units expressed as distance over time, however, velocity also requires directional information.

Therefore, the correct answer to how you can tell the difference between an expression of speed and an expression of velocity is:

D. Velocity includes a direction; speed does not.

For example, if someone says they are moving at 50 kilometers per hour to the north, they are describing their velocity. On the other hand, if they only say they are moving at 50 kilometers per hour, without specifying a direction, they are describing their speed.

User Jaswinder Kaur
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Answer= D. Velocity includes a direction; speed does not.

Velocity and speed both have the same units of m/s, so answers A and B are wrong.

Velocity is a vector quantity and so has direction and magnitude, so C is wrong.

Speed is a scalar quantity, only having magnitude and no direction.
User Ddmps
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