Which of the following best describes the difference between instantaneous speed and average speed?

• A. Instantaneous speed is the speed of an object at a specific moment in time, while average speed is the total distance traveled divided by the total time taken, that is, $\text{average speed}=\frac{\text{total distance}}{\text{total time}}$.
• B. Average speed is the speed at a specific instant, while instantaneous speed is calculated over the entire trip.
• C. Both instantaneous speed and average speed are always equal for any type of motion.
• D. Instantaneous speed is always greater than average speed for any motion.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that instantaneous speed refers to the speed of an object at a specific moment in time. It tells you how fast the object is moving right now, not over a period.
2. Recognize that average speed is defined as the total distance traveled divided by the total time taken for the entire trip. This gives a single value representing the overall speed for the whole journey.
3. Express the formula for average speed as: \(\text{average speed} = \frac{\text{total distance}}{\text{total time}}\).
4. Note that instantaneous speed can vary at different moments during the trip, while average speed is a single value summarizing the entire trip.
5. Conclude that the key difference is that instantaneous speed is a momentary measure, whereas average speed is a measure over an interval of time.