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Home Minds On 1D Kinematics Mission KC3 Speed and Velocity Help Help 9

Mission KC3 Speed and Velocity

The Question

A football coach starts at the 10-yard line (A) and walks to the 40-yard line (B) in 3 minutes. He turns around and walks to the 0-yard line (C) in the next 2 minutes. He turns around again and walks back to the 50-yard line (D) in the next three minutes. He turns around once more and walks back to the 25-yard line (E) in the next two minutes, thus completing his 10 minutes of pacing. The coach's average velocity is ____.

Formula Fix

The average velocity of an object can be determined as the ratio of the overall displacement (change in position) per time of travel:
 
average velocity = displacement / time

Define Help

Definition of Velocity:
The velocity of a moving object is the rate at which the object changes its position. Velocity is a vector quantity that is fully expressed by both a magnitude and a direction; it is always conscious of directional changes.

Bright Idea

The calculation of the average velocity will be based upon an accurate determination of the displacement. Displacement is simply the overall change in position of the object. Being the overall change in position, the displacement can be determined by simply figuring how far out of place the final position is from the initial position. Consider only beginning and end and find the difference between these two positions. Once determined, dividing displacement by time yields an average velocity. Include direction in your answer since displacement is a vector.

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