Chapter 3: Kinematics (Instantaneous Speed and Velocity)

General Physics 1
Chapter 3: Kinematics (Instantaneous Speed and

Velocity)
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to
1. Differentiate average speed and velocity from instantaneous speed and velocity.
2. Calculate instantaneous speed and velocity using power rule.
3. Solve problems involving instantaneous speed and velocity using long method.
LEARNING RESOURCES:
Makalintal, N., M. Dinglasan, and J. Unday. 2018. General Physics 1. Malabon City, Philippines:
Mutya Publishing House, Inc. pp 42-62.
SESSION:
July 11, 2019
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Present learning outcomes to students and have a short review on average speed
and velocity.
2. We have looked at the average velocity and speed but sometimes we want to be
more precise about what is happening between the initial and final times in a
problem. Imagine a situation, you are walking towards SHS building from gate.
Suddenly you realize that you are running late and would probably miss the beginning.
You start running pretty fast. Maybe it’s been a while since the last time you ran and you
slow down a bit. This is ‘instantaneous speed’. And if you include the direction with that
speed then you get the instantaneous velocity. In this lesson, we will know more about
instantaneous speed and velocity.
II. MOTIVATION
Sprinters taking off.
Sprinters finishing the race.
Present the picture above and ask students for the difference of the two pictures. Take the
1st pic as the initial and 2nd pic as the final velocity.
III. INSTRUCTION
Instantaneous velocity is defined as the rate of change of position for a time interval
which is very small (almost zero). Measured using SI unit m/s. Instantaneous Speed is the
magnitude of the Instantaneous velocity. It has the same value as that of instantaneous
velocity but does not have any direction.
Instantaneous Velocity
In simple words, the velocity of an object at that instant of time. Instantaneous
velocity definition is given as “The velocity of an object under motion at a specific point of
time.”
If the object possess uniform velocity then the instantaneous velocity may be the
same as its standard velocity.
It is determined very similarly as that of average velocity, but here time period is
narrowed. We know that the average velocity for a given time interval is total displacement
divided by total time. As this time interval approaches zero, the displacement also
approaches zero. But the limit of the ratio of displacement to time is non zero and is called
the instantaneous velocity.
Instantaneous Velocity Formula

The instantaneous velocity formula is given by
dx x ( t+ ∆ t )−x (t)
V=limΔt→0 =
dt ∆t
Where,
 Δt is the small time interval

 V is the instantaneous velocity.
 x is the displacement.
 t is the time.
Measured using SI unit m/sIt is a Vector quantity. It can also be determined by taking
the slope of distance-time graph or x-t graph.
Instantaneous Speed
We know that the average speed is for a given time interval is the total distance
travelled divided by the total time taken. As this time interval approaches zero, the distance
travelled also approaches zero. But the limit of the ratio of distance and time is non zero and
is called the instantaneous speed. To understand it in simple words we can also say that
instantaneous speed at any given time is the magnitude of instantaneous velocity at that
time.
Instantaneous Speed Formula

The instantaneous speed formula is given by
Speed=ds/dt
Where,
 ds is the distance
 dt is the time interval
 Speed is the instantaneous speed.
Measured using SI unit m/s. It is a scalar quantity. Instantaneous velocity can be linear
velocity or angular velocity
IV. PRACTICE & EVALUATION

1. Let the following be the equation of motion: s(t) = 6t 2 + t + 8. Let t be
measured in minutes and s in meters. And let 10:05 AM correspond to t = 0.
a. What is the instantaneous velocity at 10:05 AM? Solve using the power
rule.
b. What is the instantaneous velocity at 10:15 AM?
2. A body moves in a straight line according to this equation of

motion: s(t) = 10t 2 − 4t + 8, where t is measured in seconds
and s in meters. What is its velocity v at the end of 5 seconds?
Solve using the long method.
V. ENRICHMENT
1. The location function of an object is L(t) = t 2 3t. Compute the instantaneous velocity
of the object using the long method
Prepared by:
Ruby B. Cocal, LPT

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General Physics 1

Chapter 3: Kinematics (Instantaneous Speed and

Sprinters taking off.

Sprinters finishing the race.

Instantaneous Velocity Formula

 Δt is the small time interval

Instantaneous Speed Formula

IV. PRACTICE & EVALUATION

b. What is the instantaneous velocity at 10:15 AM?

2. A body moves in a straight line according to this equation of

Ruby B. Cocal, LPT

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