A motorcycle is being driven on a road moving north at 40 miles per hour. A car is driving on the same road moving south at 40 miles per hour. Which of the following is true?
a
The motorcycle and car are moving at the same velocity but different speeds.
b
The motorcycle and car are moving at the same velocity and the same speed.
c
The motorcycle and the car are moving in opposite directions, so their velocities are different.
d
The motorcycle and the car are moving in opposite directions, so their speeds are different.
c
The motorcycle and the car are moving in opposite directions, so their velocities are different.
Explanation:
Velocity is a vector quantity, which means it has both a magnitude and a direction. Speed is the magnitude component of velocity.
In this case, both the motorcycle and the car have the same speed (40 miles per hour), but since they are moving in opposite directions (the motorcycle is moving north while the car is moving south), their velocities are different due to the directional component.