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Question. Data for the motion of an object are given. State whether the speed is uniform or non-uniform. Find the average speed.
| Time (s) | 0 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance (m) | 0 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 21 | 29 | 35 | 42 | 45 | 55 | 60 |
Answer.
Type of Motion
- Distance covered in each 10 s interval: 6, 4, 6, 5, 8, 6, 7, 3, 10, 5 metres.
- Distances are unequal in equal time intervals.
- The motion is non-uniform .
Average Speed
Use the formula: Average speed = Total distance ÷ Total time
$$\begin{aligned} \text{Average speed} &= \frac{\text{Total distance}}{\text{Total time}} \\[8pt] &= \frac{60 \text{ m}}{100 \text{ s}} \\[8pt] &= 0.6 \text{ m/s} \end{aligned}$$
The average speed is 0.6 m/s .
