Steady or not
A bus leaves a stop. It moves slowly, then faster. Is that steady?
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The idea
No, the bus is not steady: its speed changes. Steady means the speed stays the same.
Watch a bus on a straight road. Mark its place at equal times, such as every 10 s.
Equal gaps between marks mean uniform linear motion. Linear means along a straight line. Each gap is the distance covered in equal time. So the speed stays the same.
Unequal gaps mean non-uniform linear motion. The speed keeps changing.
Step 1 of 4
- Two roads, with marks at equal times.
- Bus A: the gaps stay equal.
- Auto B: the gaps shrink.
- Bus A is uniform. Auto B is non-uniform.
Real trips are rarely uniform. Vehicles stop, start and slow down. So one number, the average speed, describes a trip.
Watch out!
Fast is not the same as uniform. A slow bus can be steady. A fast one can keep changing speed.