Question

why the speed in general is greater than the magnitude of velocity​

Answer 1

≡QUESTION≡

Why the speed in general is greater than the magnitude of velocity​?

                                                               

║⊕ANSWER⊕║

SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW FIRST

Speed - Rate of change of distance

Displacement - Shortest length between initial and final positions

Velocity - Rate of change of displacement

                                                                                                 

Speed is directly proportional to the distance traveled by the body.

Velocity is proportional to the magnitude of displacement.

Since distance, in general, is greater than the displacement, Speed in general is greater than the magnitude of velocity.

                                                                                                 

CAN VELOCITY BE GREATER THAN SPEED?

• If the motion of an object is along a straight line and in the same direction, the magnitude of displacement is equal to the total path length.

• In that case, the magnitude of the average velocity is equal to the average speed.  

So the average speed is always  greater than or equal to the magnitude of the velocity.