Under what condition(s) is the magnitude of average velocity of an object equal to its average speed?

1. Scenario:
– Straight Line Motion: The condition arises when an object moves along a straight path without changing direction during its motion.

2. Average Speed and Average Velocity:
– Average Speed: Average speed is a scalar quantity that measures the total distance travelled by an object over a given time interval.
– Average Velocity: Average velocity is a vector quantity that accounts for both the magnitude and direction of an object’s motion, measuring the displacement divided by time.

3. Equality Condition:
– When an object moves in a straight line without changing direction, its displacement (change in position) and the total distance travelled will be the same.
– As a result, in this scenario, the magnitude of the average velocity (which includes direction) will be equal to the average speed.

4. Explanation:
– Straight Line Motion: In this specific case, since the object moves along a straight path, there is no change in direction throughout its motion.
– Equal Displacement and Distance Travelled: As the object covers distance along the straight line, its displacement (which determines average velocity) will have the same magnitude as the distance travelled (which determines average speed).

5. Conclusion:
– Therefore, under the condition where an object moves along a straight line without changing direction, the magnitude of its average velocity will be equal to its average speed.

Importance:
– Understanding this condition is crucial as it illustrates a scenario where the distinction between average velocity and average speed is eliminated due to the object’s motion occurring solely in a straight line.