velocity v=s/d what's the s stand for?

[Jen1]

Ok, I know I'm suposed to know everything but this question from the HOD has me stumped.
Velocity = distance (or displacement) / time and the formulae is V=s/t.
But why is distance represented by "s"??????
Come on guys please help me out and make me look super smart in front of the boss

[CAG]

Unsure, but does the "s" represent speed?

Speed is based on distance, whereas velocity is based on displacement.......I think.....

[CAG]

Now you have me really pondering.......

Distance is a scalar measure.
Displacement is a vector measure.

Velocity is distance divided by time. Maybe 's' was used so as not to confuse the two 'd's?

I am sure wiser brains will inform us.

[fiona]

according to the great and powerful wikipedia the "s" is derived from the Latin "spatium" meaning path or space. I don't know how reliable the source is but it sounds plausible enough to be possible. Should placate your HOD, though. You're not the first one to ponder this becuase I found a whole lot of German students debating this as well.

Fi

[Jen1]

Fiona! You are an absolute legend! I suggested to my HOD that it was probably from some latin word!!!
How good am I going to look now when I tell him!!
A thousand thanks and then even more thanks

[sunray18]

v(t) = d(s)/d(t). Or in other words, the velocity at any given time equals the derivative of the distance with respect to time at that given time."
??? does that make sense????

[Robb]

Hi All,

You people are all on the right track. Yes the s does represent "spatium" governing the distance or displacement relative to time.

As Velocity is a measurement of scalar vectors.

What I am trying to say is that velocity is is the change in displacement of a body divided by the time. (Vector) otherwise velocity could not be termed and used as a means of calculating these vectors as "time is required".

Hope this helps.
Cheers,

Robb.....

[Ian]

Damn! A PHYSICS question, and I MISSED it!!!

Oh well, I could not have answered it as well as Fiona or Robb anyway.

Has anybody noticed that in the current NSW Physics syllabus, "s" has been replaced by "r" so that now, v = r/t.
What does "r" stand for?

Next question?

Ian

[sunray18]

r = ridiculous

[Robb]

Hi All,

Hey Ian I was wondering where you were during all of this.....

Cheers,

Robb.....

[Robb]

Hi All,

Almost forgot...

The r in the equation in the syllabus comes fro the good old term for the following equation where 2 (pi) r/T this is Linear Velocity much more accurate than just v= s/t.

Hence why r starts to come into the picture. Oh and it this is called radius...

[fiona]

rho, rho, rho your boat, gently down the stream!

So my amused confusion leads me to wonder:

if all the components in one equation are defined as Latin words, how come the symbols in other are Greek? Seems like a clash of the Titans to me. Or an ancient battle trickling down through the ages into the modern world, once fought with swords, now fought with ....... math??

[Ian]

Hi All,

Almost forgot...

The r in the equatiion in the syllabus comes fro the good old term for the following equation where 2 (pi) r/T this is Linear Velocity much more accurate than just v= s/t.

Hence why r starts to come into the picture. Oh and it this is called rho...

Ah! (or Rho??)
but in the equation that you mention, Robb (v=2(pi)r /T), v=tangential velocity, T is period of revolution of the object undergoing circular motion, and r is the radius of the circle, hence english "r" rather that greek (rho). (I never could come to grips with the new syllabus!)

Where have I gone wrong? (remember, physicists are never wrong; just refining their theories!)

Ian

[Robb]

Hi Ian, Indeed the r as mentioned in the linear equation is radius, the letter used in my representation is not rho as this is has the symbol (p). Thanks for the eagle eye my friend....

Don't know why I said that initially.. The new syllabus is just highly questionable.

Cheers mate,

Robb.....

Hi All,

Almost forgot...

The r in the equation in the syllabus comes fro the good old term for the following equation where 2 (pi) r/T this is Linear Velocity much more accurate than just v= s/t.

Hence why r starts to come into the picture. Oh and it this is called rho...

Ah! (or Rho??)
but in the equation that you mention, Robb (v=2(pi)r /T), v=tangential velocity, T is period of revolution of the object undergoing circular motion, and r is the radius of the circle, hence english "r" rather that greek (rho). (I never could come to grips with the new syllabus!)

Where have I gone wrong? (remember, physicists are never wrong; just refining their theories!)

Ian

[Ocean Breeze]

Clear as mud guys

can you break it down for someone like me please?
so "s" stands for.......?

[Robb]

Hi All,

I appologise for my performance yesturday in answering the questions regarding r in my equations. Rho, rho has the symbol p.

I must have been on another planet or something.

Cheers,

Robb.....

[Robb]

Hi All,

Forgot again..... r stands for position vector.... in the equation velocity = r/t.

Cheers,

Robb.....

[Lyn]

Which planet in which universe and can we come too?

[Rita]

v is velocity metre/second or feet/second

s is linear displacement metre or feet

t is time ...seconds

try website: www.engineeringtoolbox.com/motion-formulas-d941.html

or google motion furmula

Rita

[Ian]

What? You mean, Rainbow sky, that you did not get all of that? (I thought that "r=ridiculous" was the best bit.

Anyway, what I think we have determined is that

s = displacement, such that v = s/t

although in NSW schools, "s" has been superseded by "r" so now

r = displacement, such that v = r/t

Also, the symbol "s" comes from the latin word for path, which is "spatium", "r" comes from the english word "ridiculous" which some people suggest (but NOT ME!) is Physics.

Does that clear it all up?

Ian