Average velocity is an object's total displacement divided by the time it took to make that displacement.
Constant velocity means an object is traveling in a straight line with the same speed. If an object has constant velocity for some period of time, then its average velocity is the same as its constant velocity for that period of time. However, if an object's velocity changes during that period, its average velocity can be quite different from any velocity it spent any time traveling.
For example, consider an ant that walks along a ruler. Starting from the zero mark, the ant walks to the 15 cm mark in 5 seconds, then to the 20 cm mark in 5 seconds, then to the 30 cm mark in 5 seconds. The total displacement of the ant is 30 cm, and it took 15 seconds to get there, so its average velocity is 30 cm / 15 s = 2 cm/s.
However, for the first segment, the ant was traveling at (15 cm / 5 s =) 3 cm/s. For the second segment: 5 cm / 5 s = 1 cm/s. For the third segment: 10 cm / 5 s = 2 cm/s. So even though the ant's AVERAGE velocity was 2 cm/s, it was really only traveling at that velocity during one of the segments.
I hope that helps. Good luck!
Constant velocity means an object is traveling in a straight line with the same speed. If an object has constant velocity for some period of time, then its average velocity is the same as its constant velocity for that period of time. However, if an object's velocity changes during that period, its average velocity can be quite different from any velocity it spent any time traveling.
For example, consider an ant that walks along a ruler. Starting from the zero mark, the ant walks to the 15 cm mark in 5 seconds, then to the 20 cm mark in 5 seconds, then to the 30 cm mark in 5 seconds. The total displacement of the ant is 30 cm, and it took 15 seconds to get there, so its average velocity is 30 cm / 15 s = 2 cm/s.
However, for the first segment, the ant was traveling at (15 cm / 5 s =) 3 cm/s. For the second segment: 5 cm / 5 s = 1 cm/s. For the third segment: 10 cm / 5 s = 2 cm/s. So even though the ant's AVERAGE velocity was 2 cm/s, it was really only traveling at that velocity during one of the segments.
I hope that helps. Good luck!
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Average velocity depends only on displacement and time. The velocity can vary all over the place during that time.
Constant velocity means that the velocity does not vary even one whit. It is steady and constant. The average velocity in this case will equal the constant velocity.
Constant velocity means that the velocity does not vary even one whit. It is steady and constant. The average velocity in this case will equal the constant velocity.