Comparing average velocity and instantaneous velocity,
A) average velocity is not a vector quantity and therefore doesn't include direction.
B) both terms sometimes refer to the same quantity.
C) the two terms never refer to the same quantity.
D) none of the above apply.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Average velocity and instantaneous velocity can refer to the same quantity when the motion is constant. Average velocity is calculated over a period of time, while instantaneous velocity refers to the velocity at a specific point in time. When the motion is constant, the instantaneous velocity is constant throughout the motion, and therefore the average velocity and instantaneous velocity are the same. However, when the motion is not constant, the average velocity and instantaneous velocity are different quantities.

Comparing Average Velocity and Instantaneous Velocity