Velocity Calculator

Calculate velocity using v = d/t. Enter distance and time with your preferred units to determine velocity.

Basic Velocity Formula: v = d / t Where: ? v = Velocity (m/s, km/h, mph, etc.) ? d = Distance or Displacement (m, km, mi, ft) ? t = Time (s, min, h) Rearrangements: ? Distance: d = v * t ? Time: t = d / v Unit Conversions: ? 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h ? 1 m/s = 2.237 mph ? 1 m/s = 3.281 ft/s ? 1 km/h = 0.278 m/s ? 1 mph = 0.447 m/s Vector Nature: ? Velocity = speed + direction ? Average velocity = Deltax / Deltat (displacement/time) ? Instantaneous velocity = dx/dt (calculus)
Example 1 - Car Trip: Distance = 100 km, Time = 2 hours v = 100 / 2 = 50 km/h = 13.89 m/s = 31.07 mph Average velocity: 50 km/h Example 2 - Sprinter: Distance = 100 m, Time = 10 seconds v = 100 / 10 = 10 m/s = 36 km/h = 22.37 mph Sprint velocity: 10 m/s Example 3 - Airplane: Distance = 500 miles, Time = 1.5 hours v = 500 / 1.5 = 333.33 mph = 148.94 m/s = 536.4 km/h Cruising velocity: 333 mph Example 4 - Walking: Distance = 1.5 km, Time = 20 minutes v = 1.5 / (20/60) = 4.5 km/h = 1.25 m/s = 2.80 mph Walking velocity: 4.5 km/h Example 5 - Bicycle: Distance = 15 miles, Time = 1 hour v = 15 / 1 = 15 mph = 6.71 m/s = 24.14 km/h Cycling velocity: 15 mph

What is velocity?

Velocity is the rate of change of position with respect to time. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude (speed) and direction. The formula is v = d/t, where v is velocity, d is displacement, and t is time.

What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is a scalar (magnitude only) measuring how fast something moves, regardless of direction. Velocity is a vector (magnitude and direction) measuring the rate of displacement. For example, a car going 60 km/h north has speed 60 km/h and velocity 60 km/h north.

What is the difference between average and instantaneous velocity?

Average velocity is total displacement divided by total time (v_avg = Deltax/Deltat). Instantaneous velocity is the velocity at a specific moment, found using calculus (v = dx/dt). This calculator computes average velocity.

Can velocity be negative?

Yes, negative velocity indicates motion in the negative direction relative to your chosen coordinate system. For example, if east is positive, a velocity of -10 m/s means 10 m/s westward.

What are common units for velocity?

Common units include: m/s (meters per second - SI unit), km/h (kilometers per hour), mph (miles per hour), ft/s (feet per second), and knots (nautical miles per hour). Conversion: 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h = 2.237 mph.

How do I convert between velocity units?

Use conversion factors: 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h = 2.237 mph = 3.281 ft/s. To convert m/s to km/h, multiply by 3.6. To convert mph to m/s, multiply by 0.447. To convert km/h to m/s, divide by 3.6.

What is displacement vs distance?

Distance is the total path length traveled (scalar). Displacement is the straight-line distance from start to end with direction (vector). Velocity uses displacement: v = displacement/time. A round trip has zero displacement but non-zero distance.

How does velocity relate to acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity: a = Deltav/Deltat. If velocity is constant, acceleration is zero. If velocity changes (speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction), acceleration is non-zero.

What are real-world examples of velocity calculations?

Examples: calculating car speed (distance traveled / time), airplane velocity (flight distance / flight time), runner's pace in athletics, projectile velocity in sports, and planetary orbital velocity in astronomy.

What is terminal velocity?

Terminal velocity is the constant maximum velocity reached by a falling object when air resistance equals gravitational force, resulting in zero net force and zero acceleration. For a skydiver, it's about 53 m/s (120 mph) in free fall.

How do I calculate velocity if I only know initial and final positions?

Use v = (x_final - x_initial) / t, where x is position. This gives average velocity. For example, if a car moves from position 10 m to 110 m in 5 seconds: v = (110-10)/5 = 20 m/s.

What is relative velocity?

Relative velocity is velocity measured relative to another moving object. If car A moves at 30 m/s east and car B moves at 20 m/s east, A's velocity relative to B is 10 m/s east. Vector subtraction: v_AB = v_A - v_B.