Question

A 100-meter sprint is a race using only the straight side of a racetrack. A 400-meter sprint is a race that makes one complete lap around a racetrack. Why are velocity and speed the same for a 100-m sprint but not a 400-m sprint?

Answer 1

On edgentiy the answer is. In the 100-m sprint, the displacement is 100 meters and the distance is 100 meters. This means speed and velocity are the same for the 100-m sprint. In the 400-m sprint, the distance is 400-m, but the runners stop at the same place they start so the displacement is zero. Zero displacement means zero velocity.

Answer 2

Speed uses distance and velocity uses displacement in its calculation.

For 100 m race, distance = displacement. Hence speed = velocity

For 400m race, distance ≠ displacement. distance = 400m whereas displacement = 0m. Hence speed ≠ velocity