What's the difference between speed and velocity?
GeneralClass 12AllAnswered 27 Mar 2026
Answer
Speed is a scalar (magnitude only) while velocity is a vector (magnitude and direction).
Speed = distance/time
Velocity = displacement/time
Main differences:
- Speed is always positive; velocity can be negative (indicating opposite direction)
- Average speed uses total distance; average velocity uses displacement
- A car going around a circular track has speed but may have zero average velocity
Example: Running 100m north then 100m south in 40s gives average speed = 5 m/s but average velocity = 0 m/s (you're back where you started).
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