Instantaneous Velocity

Description:

Velocity of a particle at a particular instant is known as its instantaneous velocity where instance refers to infinitesimal small amount of time.

Calculation of instantaneous velocity

We need to find the instantaneous velocity of the particle −

As we know velocity is given by −

Velocity = Displacement/Time = Δx/Δt

But displacement is equal to the smallest distance between two points, so the above velocity is the average velocity and not the instantaneous one.

To find instantaneous velocity only one point should be considered but it is practically not possible, so to define instantaneous velocity limit is used −

v = limΔt→0Δx/Δt

v = dx/dt

I.e. derivate of x with respect to t

So, instantaneous velocity is the average velocity with time approaching to zero.