A car travels at a constant rate for 100 miles going due west for one hour. Then it travels at a constant rate for another 75 miles west for one hour. What is the instantaneous velocity at any time during the first hour of the trip? A car travels at a constant rate for 100 miles going due west for one hour. Then it travels at a constant rate for another 75 miles west for one hour. What is the instantaneous velocity at any time during the first hour of the trip?

The instantaneous velocity at any time during the first hour of the trip is 44.7 m/s.

Explanation:

Instantaneous velocity is the exact velocity of a moving body at a specific instant of time. It is different to average velocity but the method of finding instantaneous is the same as finding average velocity. In case of instantaneous velocity, the time period is narrowed such that it approaches zero.

In our case, the car is traveling at a constant rate in one direction which means that acceleration = 0

When there is no change in speed and the body is moving in the same direction, its instantaneous velocity at any time is equal to the average velocity of the body in that time period.

Distance traveled = 100 miles

= 160934 meter

Time taken = 1 hour

= 60 seconds

Direction = west

a = 0 (constant rate)

Instantaneous Velocity = Average velocity = Distance/Time

= 160934/3600

= 44.7 m/s