A motorcycle is being driven on a road moving north at 40 miles per hour. A car is driving on the same road moving south at 40 miles per hour. Which of the following is true?

Question

a
The motorcycle and the car are moving in opposite directions, so their speeds are different.
b
The motorcycle and the car are moving in opposite directions, so their velocities are different.
c
The motorcycle and car are moving at the same velocity and the same speed.
d
The motorcycle and car are moving at the same velocity but different speeds.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

b: The motorcycle and the car are moving in opposite directions, so their velocities are different.

Explanation:

• Speed is a scalar quantity that only considers how fast an object is moving, regardless of direction. In this case, both the motorcycle and the car have a speed of 40 miles per hour.
• Velocity, on the other hand, is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction. Since the motorcycle is moving north and the car is moving south, their velocities are different even though their speeds are the same.