Unit of Velocity

Unit of velocity is meter per second or m/s. It is defined as the ratio of a unit of distance and a unit of time. Velocity is the measure of the speed of an object in a particular direction.

Although the unit of speed and velocity are identical, velocity, being a vector quantity, is defined as the rate at which an object changes its location per unit time. The other unit of velocity are km/hr, cm/s, ft/s, etc.

In this article, we will learn about velocity, units of velocity in different systems, SI Unit of velocity and will solve a few problems based on velocity.

Definition of Velocity

Velocity is a vector quantity that is used to measure the speed of an object together with the direction of an object. Velocity is one of the most significant qualities of a moving object.

Velocity of the body is defined as the rate of change in displacement of the body with time. It is also defined as the pace of an object in a certain direction.

Velocity Formula

Velocity is a vector quantity, i.e., it has both magnitude (speed) and direction. It is measured by the formula:

velocity = Displacement/Time

What is Unit of Velocity?

Unit of Velocity is the measurement of magnitude of velocity. As per the formula of velocity, it is distance travelled per unit time. Thus, unit of velocity is determined by the units of time and displacement. Displacement is commonly quantified in metres (m), while time is denoted in seconds (s). The SI unit of velocity is thus metres per second (m/s).

Unit of velocity simple represents the distance covered in the given time.

What is 1 m/s?

1 m/s represents the velocity by which an object covers 1 meter distance in 1 second.

Dimension Formula of Velocity

Dimension Formula of Velocity = [M⁰ L¹ T^-1]

SI Unit of Velocity

SI unit of velocity is meters per second (m/s). It shows the distance traveled (in meters) per second. It is frequently utilised in scientific computations and engineering applications because of its simplicity and broad acceptability.

Unit of Velocity Symbol

Symbol of unit of velocity is ms⁻¹ or m/s.

SI unit of Average Velocity

The average velocity of an object is defined as the entire displacement of the object divided by the total time taken. It is given by the formula:

avg Velocity = Total Displacement/Total Time

The SI unit of average velocity is also m s^-1 or m/s.

Unit of Velocity in Other Systems

While the SI unit is often used, other systems of units also exist, each with its own measure of velocity. Such system are CGS (centimeter-gram-second) system, Foot per second or ft /s or fps, Feet per minute or ft/ m or fpm. All these units are mentioned below:

System	Unit	Abbreviation
MKS System	meter per second	m/s
CGS System	centimeter per second	cm/s
FPS System	foot per second	ft/s

Other Units of Velocity

Velocity can be measured in various units, few of them are listed below:

• kilometer per hour or km/hr
• miles per hour or mi/hr
• Centimetres per hour or cm/hr
• Metre per minute or m/min
• Millimetre per minute or mm/min
• Millimetre per second or mm/s
• Centimetre per minute or cm/min
• inch per second or in/s
• Foot per second or ft/s
• Foot per minute or ft/min

Conversion Between Units Of Velocity

Conversion between units of velocity involves simple multiplication or division dependent on the conversion factor between the units. For example, to translate from meters per second (m/s) to kilometers per hour (km/h), one can use the conversion factor of 3.6 (i.e. 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h).

Below is the table illustrating all the important conversion based on unit of velocity:

Unit	Conversion Factor
m/sec	= 3.6 km/hr or 18/5 km/hr
cm/sec	= 1/100 m/sec
km/hr	= 5/18 m/sec
foot/sec	= 0.3048 m/sec
mile/hr	= 0.44704 m/sec

Solved Examples on Unit of Velocity

Example 1: Convert a velocity of 20 m/s to km/h.

Solution:

Given, velocity (v) = 20 m/s

To convert m/s to km/h, we multiply by 3600/1000 = 18/5

Velocity ( 𝑣 ) = 20 × 18/5 = 72 km/h

Hence, velocity of 20m/s is equivalent to 72km/hr.

Example 2: A automobile traverses a distance of 150 kilometers in 3 hours. Calculate its average velocity.

Solution:

Given,

distance (d) = 150 km, duration (t) = 3 hours

Average velocity ( v ) = Total distance/Total time

= 150/3 = 50 km/h

Hence, the average velocity of the automobile is 50km/h.

FAQs on Unity of Velocity

What is velocity?

Velocity is rate of change of displacement with respect time. It represents both the speed and direction of motion.

How is velocity different from speed?

Velocity is a vector quantity that comprises both magnitude and direction, whereas speed is a scalar variable that indicates simply the magnitude of motion.

What is the SI units and CGS unit of velocity?

SI unit of velocity is m/s, and the CGS unit is cm/s.

How do you convert velocity units?

To convert between various units of velocity, you can utilise conversion factors. For example, to translate m/s to km/h, multiply by 3.6.

Can velocity be negative?

Yes, velocity can be negative if the item is going in the opposite direction of the specified positive direction.