A car travels at a constant speed of $20.0m/s$ for $30.0s$. What is the car's average velocity during this time interval?

• A. $10.0m/s$
• B. $30.0m/s$
• C. $20.0m/s$
• D. $0m/s$

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the given quantities: the car's constant speed \(v = 20.0\ \text{m/s}\) and the time interval \(t = 30.0\ \text{s}\).
2. Recall that average velocity is defined as the total displacement divided by the total time interval, mathematically expressed as \(\bar{v} = \frac{\Delta x}{\Delta t}\).
3. Since the car travels at a constant speed in a straight line, the displacement \(\Delta x\) can be found by multiplying the speed by the time: \(\Delta x = v \times t\).
4. Substitute the known values into the displacement formula to find \(\Delta x\) (do not calculate the numerical value yet).
5. Finally, calculate the average velocity by dividing the displacement \(\Delta x\) by the time interval \(t\) using \(\bar{v} = \frac{\Delta x}{t}\), which will give the average velocity equal to the constant speed.