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Multiple Choice

If a particle moves with constant acceleration starting from rest, which statement is true regarding instantaneous velocity and average velocity over the interval from 0 to t?

In constant acceleration starting from rest, velocity grows linearly with time, so the instantaneous velocity at time t is simply the current velocity v(t). The average velocity over the interval from 0 to t is defined as the total displacement divided by the total time, s(t)/t. For constant acceleration, the displacement is s(t) = (1/2) a t^2, which gives an average velocity of (1/2) a t. This value is exactly half of the instantaneous velocity v(t) = a t, illustrating how instantaneous and average velocities relate when acceleration is constant. The statement that instantaneous velocity equals the current velocity at time t and that average velocity equals displacement divided by the total time correctly captures both concepts. The other options either misidentify instantaneous velocity as final velocity, or omit the averaging definition, or state an incorrect relation between average and instantaneous velocity.

In constant acceleration starting from rest, velocity grows linearly with time, so the instantaneous velocity at time t is simply the current velocity v(t). The average velocity over the interval from 0 to t is defined as the total displacement divided by the total time, s(t)/t. For constant acceleration, the displacement is s(t) = (1/2) a t^2, which gives an average velocity of (1/2) a t. This value is exactly half of the instantaneous velocity v(t) = a t, illustrating how instantaneous and average velocities relate when acceleration is constant.

The statement that instantaneous velocity equals the current velocity at time t and that average velocity equals displacement divided by the total time correctly captures both concepts. The other options either misidentify instantaneous velocity as final velocity, or omit the averaging definition, or state an incorrect relation between average and instantaneous velocity.