Question

If you know that a moving object has a constant velocity, you can predict correctly where it will be after a given amount of time. However, if you know only that the object has a constant speed, you cannot predict where it will be. Explain why.

Answer 1

Speed is a scalar and velocity is a vector. Scalars do not depend upon path taken and velocity being a vector does depend on path taken. Therefore if we know a constant velocity we can know the position at a certain time, however if we only know of a constant speed then that doesn’t tell us the direction only the magnitude, not magnitude and direction as would be with velocity. So we would not be able to tell what the position was at a certain time only knowing off a constant speed and not a constant velocity.

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Answer 2

It is not possible to predict the position only with constant speed, because speed is a scalar quantity.

The basic concept of scalars and vectors are used to resolve the given problem. Let us recall, the speed and velocity first:

Speed is the defined as the distance covered by any object per unit time. While, velocity is defined as the displacement of an object per unit time.

• Scalar quantities are those which has only magnitude, but no direction and vector quantities are referred to those units, that has the magnitude as well as the direction.  
• Speed is a scalar and velocity is a vector. Scalars do not depend upon path taken and velocity being a vector does depend on path taken. Therefore if we know a constant velocity we can know the position at a certain time.

• If only constant speed is known, then that does not tell us the direction, but only specify the magnitude. So, it is not possible to tell what the position was at a certain time only knowing off a constant speed and not a constant velocity.

Thus, we can conclude that it is not possible to predict the position only with constant speed, because speed is a scalar quantity.

Learn more about the constant speed and constant velocity here:

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