Instantaneous vs Average Velocity
Visualizing the difference between instantaneous velocity and average velocity
Moving Object
Instantaneous Velocity
Average Velocity
Position Path
Motion Parameters
2.0 m/s
0.0 m/s²
Display Options
5.0 s
1.5x
Physics Concepts
Instantaneous Velocity is the velocity of an object at a specific instant in time. It’s the derivative of position with respect to time.
vinstantaneous = dx/dt
Average Velocity is the total displacement divided by the total time taken. It gives the constant velocity that would result in the same displacement over the same time interval.
vaverage = Δx/Δt
This simulation shows how these two quantities can differ, especially when velocity is changing. The green average velocity vector always points directly from the starting position to the current position, while the red instantaneous velocity vector shows the actual direction and magnitude of motion at each moment.