What is the speed of 20 km in 20 minutes?

Calculating Speed: Understanding the Conversion from Distance and Time

In the realm of physics, speed is defined as the rate at which an object travels a distance. It is typically measured in kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles per hour (mph). To determine the speed of an object, we need to know the distance it has traveled and the time it took to cover that distance.

Converting Distance and Time Units

In many practical scenarios, we may encounter different units of distance and time. To accurately calculate speed, it is crucial to convert these units to a common standard before performing the speed calculation. The most common units used for distance and time are kilometers (km) and hours (h).

Problem Statement

Let’s consider a scenario where an object travels 20 kilometers (km) in 20 minutes. Our goal is to determine the speed of the object.

Step 1: Convert Minutes to Hours

Since the given time is in minutes, we need to convert it to hours to match the standard unit of time for speed calculations. There are 60 minutes in an hour, so we divide 20 minutes by 60 to obtain the number of hours:

20 minutes / 60 minutes/hour = 1/3 hour

Step 2: Calculate Speed

Now that we have the distance and time in compatible units, we can calculate the speed using the formula:

Speed = Distance / Time

Speed = 20 km / (1/3) h

Step 3: Simplify the Expression

To simplify the expression, we multiply the numerator by the reciprocal of the denominator:

Speed = 20 km * 3 h

Step 4: Solve for Speed

Finally, we solve for the speed by multiplying the numbers:

Speed = 60 km/h

Conclusion

Therefore, the speed of the object traveling 20 kilometers in 20 minutes is 60 kilometers per hour (km/h). This demonstrates the importance of converting distance and time units to a common standard before calculating speed.