You can describe an object's movement from one location to the another using displacement, but that only gives you information about where the object started and stopped. We all know the Earth's plates are moving, so slowly that it might take a year to move 5 centimeters. Consider what it would feel like if that movement occurred in mere seconds—it would definitely be startling. In comparing these two situations, time becomes the essential and represents the difference between the slow undetectable movements of plates and the quick jolting movements of an earthquake. Knowing how fast the movement occurs is important as we describe an object's motion.
Question
If speed compares the change in position with respect with time, which of the scenarios has the greater speed?
The situation where the same change in position happens in less time produces the greater speed. Continue reading to learn more about speed and velocity.
