time travel speed formula

Einstein's equation and time travel

How is Einstein's equation (Gμν = 8πG Tμν) actually applied? And how does it support the theory of time travel.

Many physicists refer to this as Einstein’s Equations (plural) because it's actually a set of several equations. The symbol Gμν denotes the "Einstein tensor," which is a measure of how much space-time is curving. The symbol Tμν denotes the "energy momentum tensor," which measures the density and flux of the energy and momentum of matter. The energy and momentum of matter causes space-time to curve in a way that is described by Einstein’s Equations. The curvature of space-time is what causes all the effects that we associate with "gravity."

There are many textbooks that explain how to apply Einstein’s Equations equations to various situations, but they require a very advanced background in physics and mathematics. I will therefore have to summarize things in words.

Before talking about time travel, let me first explain what a "world-line" is. Suppose that an object at a particular time is sitting at some particular point in space. At another time, it will be sitting at another point. Its locations at different times trace out a path through space-time, which is called the object’s world line. This path extends forward to points farther and farther in the future (until the object ceases to exist for some reason, at which point its world-line ends). But imagine that an object’s world-line bends around in a loop, so that at it arrives at a point in space-time where it had already been? For example, there may be a point on my world line that was me at my fifth birthday party at my parents’ home in New York City. Another point (farther along my world-line) is me now, aged 61, sitting in my office at the University of Delaware. If I continue farther and farther along my world line, might I end up again at my fifth birthday party in New York City in 1958? Could my five-year old self meet my much older self at that party? That is what most people mean by "time travel." In the jargon of physics, such a world line that bent around and intersected itself is called a "closed time-like loop" or "closed time-like curve."

The question is whether world-lines that are closed time-like loops are possible in the real world. It is comparatively easy to show that if space-time were not curved world-lines would definitely not be able to bend around to form closed time-like loops. But one might hope that gravity, by curving space-time, could bend some world-lines around to make closed loops. The way people have studied this question is to assume that Einstein’s equations correctly describe how the energy and momentum of matter curves space-time. Then they look for solutions of those equations where space-time curves in such a way as to make closed time-like loops possible, and therefore time-travel possible. No one has ever found such solutions. People have on occasion found what seemed to be such solutions, but on closer inspection it was found that when realistic conditions are imposed, no time travel is possible. An example is the Gödel Universe (or Gödel metric).

One kind of solution that would allow time travel is called a "Minkowski wormhole." A Minkowski wormhole would be like a tunnel that took you from one point in space-time to what seemed like a far distant point--a point far away in space, or in the past, or in the future. But people have shown that for a Minkowski wormhole to exist, there would have to be a type of matter whose energy and momentum were unlike any kind of matter ever seen and extremely unlikely to exist in the real world.

The great majority of experts believe that time travel is not allowed by the laws of physics. But no one has proved that rigorously. If you want to learn more, you could try to find discussions of closed time-like loops and Minkowski wormholes in books or on the internet.

-Stephen Barr

• General relativity

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Home / United States / Math Classes / Formulas / Distance Speed Time Formulas

Distance Speed Time Formulas

This article explores the formula describing the relationship between distance, speed and time. If the values of any two of the three quantities, among speed, distance or time are given, the formula can be used to find the third quantity. ...Read More Read Less

Formula for Speed, Distance and Time

Distance is the numerical measure of how far a point or an object is from another point or object. Time is the measure of the time taken for an entity to reach from one point to another. Lastly, the measure of how fast or slow an object or a point moves is known as speed.

Speed, distance and time are related to each other by the formula:

Speed = \(\frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Time}}\)

So, speed can be defined as the distance traveled per unit time. It indicates the rate at which an object moves between two points. The formula connecting speed, distance and time can also be given as:

\(x=\frac{d}{t}\)

\(x\) = Speed

\(d\) = Distance traveled

\(t\) = Time taken

Distance is measured in units of length like meters, kilometers, miles and other units like feet or inches. Time is measured in seconds, minutes and hours. Speed is measured in distance per unit time, for example, meters per second (m/s), kilometers per hour (km/hour), or miles per hour.

The above formula can also be used to determine distance or time.

• Distance = Speed \(\times\) Time (or) \(d\ =\ x\ \times\ t\)
• Time = \(\frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Speed}} = \frac{d}{x}\)

Therefore, distance is the product of speed and time, and time is distance per unit speed.

Rapid Recall

Solved Examples

Example 1: Laura was going to the mall from her house in her car at an average speed of 36 mph. She took 0.2 hours to reach the mall. Calculate the distance she traveled from her house to the mall?

Solution: Speed of the car, \(x\) = 36 mph

Time taken by the car to reach the mall, \(t\) = 0.2 hr

We need to find the distance covered by Laura.

The formula relating speed, distance and time is,

Distance traveled, \(d=x \times t\)

\(d=36 \times 0.2\)  Substitute 36 for \(x\) and 0.2 for \(t\)

   \(=7.2\)           Multiply

Therefore the distance traveled by Laura from her house to the mall is 7.2 miles.

Example 2: Ronald covered a distance of 280 miles in 4 hours on his motorbike. Calculate how fast the bike would have moved to cover this distance.

Distance covered, \(d\) = 280 miles,

Time taken, \(t\) = 4 hours

\(x=\frac{d}{t}\)     Formula for speed

\(x =\frac{280}{4}\)  Substitute 280 for d and 4 for \(t\)

\(x=70\)    Divide

Therefore, the bike would have moved at a speed of 70 miles per hour to cover a distance of 280 miles.

Example 3: In a cycle race, cyclist A is moving with a speed of 2 km/hr and cyclist B is moving at a speed of 3 km/hr. The cyclists need to cover a distance of 12 km to reach the destination. Which cyclist will reach the destination first?

Solution: To determine which cyclist reaches the destination, first, we need to compare the time taken by each cyclist to reach the destination.

Speed of cyclist A, \(x_a\) = 2 km/hr

Speed of cyclist B, \(x_b\) = 3 km/hr

Distance covered by both the cyclists, \(d\) = 12 km

We need to find the time taken by cyclist A and cyclist B.

\(t=\frac{d}{x}\)              Formula for time taken

\(t_a = \frac{12}{2}=6\)    Substitute 12 for \(d\) and 2 for \(x\) and solve

\(t_b = \frac{12}{3}=4\)    Substitute 12 for \(d\) and 3 for \(x\) and solve

So the time taken by cyclist A is 6 hours and the time taken by cyclist B is 4 hours.

Now since 6 hours is greater than 4 hours, that is, cyclist B takes less time to reach the destination.

Therefore cyclist B will reach the destination first.

What is the definition of speed?

The rate of change of the position of an object in any direction is called the speed of the object.

What is the definition of time?

The ratio of distance traveled or covered by an object to its unit speed is defined as time.

What is the definition of distance?

Distance is the numerical measure of how far a point or an object is from another point or object. Distance is calculated as the product of speed and time.

For a given speed if the distance is doubled then what will be the change in time taken?

For a given speed, if the distance is doubled then the time taken will also be doubled.

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A beginner's guide to time travel

Learn exactly how Einstein's theory of relativity works, and discover how there's nothing in science that says time travel is impossible.

Everyone can travel in time . You do it whether you want to or not, at a steady rate of one second per second. You may think there's no similarity to traveling in one of the three spatial dimensions at, say, one foot per second. But according to Einstein 's theory of relativity , we live in a four-dimensional continuum — space-time — in which space and time are interchangeable.

Einstein found that the faster you move through space, the slower you move through time — you age more slowly, in other words. One of the key ideas in relativity is that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light — about 186,000 miles per second (300,000 kilometers per second), or one light-year per year). But you can get very close to it. If a spaceship were to fly at 99% of the speed of light, you'd see it travel a light-year of distance in just over a year of time. 

That's obvious enough, but now comes the weird part. For astronauts onboard that spaceship, the journey would take a mere seven weeks. It's a consequence of relativity called time dilation , and in effect, it means the astronauts have jumped about 10 months into the future. 

Traveling at high speed isn't the only way to produce time dilation. Einstein showed that gravitational fields produce a similar effect — even the relatively weak field here on the surface of Earth . We don't notice it, because we spend all our lives here, but more than 12,400 miles (20,000 kilometers) higher up gravity is measurably weaker— and time passes more quickly, by about 45 microseconds per day. That's more significant than you might think, because it's the altitude at which GPS satellites orbit Earth, and their clocks need to be precisely synchronized with ground-based ones for the system to work properly. 

The satellites have to compensate for time dilation effects due both to their higher altitude and their faster speed. So whenever you use the GPS feature on your smartphone or your car's satnav, there's a tiny element of time travel involved. You and the satellites are traveling into the future at very slightly different rates.

But for more dramatic effects, we need to look at much stronger gravitational fields, such as those around black holes , which can distort space-time so much that it folds back on itself. The result is a so-called wormhole, a concept that's familiar from sci-fi movies, but actually originates in Einstein's theory of relativity. In effect, a wormhole is a shortcut from one point in space-time to another. You enter one black hole, and emerge from another one somewhere else. Unfortunately, it's not as practical a means of transport as Hollywood makes it look. That's because the black hole's gravity would tear you to pieces as you approached it, but it really is possible in theory. And because we're talking about space-time, not just space, the wormhole's exit could be at an earlier time than its entrance; that means you would end up in the past rather than the future.

Trajectories in space-time that loop back into the past are given the technical name "closed timelike curves." If you search through serious academic journals, you'll find plenty of references to them — far more than you'll find to "time travel." But in effect, that's exactly what closed timelike curves are all about — time travel

This article is brought to you by  How It Works .

How It Works is the action-packed magazine that's bursting with exciting information about the latest advances in science and technology, featuring everything you need to know about how the world around you — and the universe — works.

There's another way to produce a closed timelike curve that doesn't involve anything quite so exotic as a black hole or wormhole: You just need a simple rotating cylinder made of super-dense material. This so-called Tipler cylinder is the closest that real-world physics can get to an actual, genuine time machine. But it will likely never be built in the real world, so like a wormhole, it's more of an academic curiosity than a viable engineering design.

Yet as far-fetched as these things are in practical terms, there's no fundamental scientific reason — that we currently know of — that says they are impossible. That's a thought-provoking situation, because as the physicist Michio Kaku is fond of saying, "Everything not forbidden is compulsory" (borrowed from T.H. White's novel, "The Once And Future King"). He doesn't mean time travel has to happen everywhere all the time, but Kaku is suggesting that the universe is so vast it ought to happen somewhere at least occasionally. Maybe some super-advanced civilization in another galaxy knows how to build a working time machine, or perhaps closed timelike curves can even occur naturally under certain rare conditions.

This raises problems of a different kind — not in science or engineering, but in basic logic. If time travel is allowed by the laws of physics, then it's possible to envision a whole range of paradoxical scenarios . Some of these appear so illogical that it's difficult to imagine that they could ever occur. But if they can't, what's stopping them? 

Thoughts like these prompted Stephen Hawking , who was always skeptical about the idea of time travel into the past, to come up with his "chronology protection conjecture" — the notion that some as-yet-unknown law of physics prevents closed timelike curves from happening. But that conjecture is only an educated guess, and until it is supported by hard evidence, we can come to only one conclusion: Time travel is possible.

A party for time travelers 

Hawking was skeptical about the feasibility of time travel into the past, not because he had disproved it, but because he was bothered by the logical paradoxes it created. In his chronology protection conjecture, he surmised that physicists would eventually discover a flaw in the theory of closed timelike curves that made them impossible. 

In 2009, he came up with an amusing way to test this conjecture. Hawking held a champagne party (shown in his Discovery Channel program), but he only advertised it after it had happened. His reasoning was that, if time machines eventually become practical, someone in the future might read about the party and travel back to attend it. But no one did — Hawking sat through the whole evening on his own. This doesn't prove time travel is impossible, but it does suggest that it never becomes a commonplace occurrence here on Earth.

The arrow of time 

One of the distinctive things about time is that it has a direction — from past to future. A cup of hot coffee left at room temperature always cools down; it never heats up. Your cellphone loses battery charge when you use it; it never gains charge. These are examples of entropy , essentially a measure of the amount of "useless" as opposed to "useful" energy. The entropy of a closed system always increases, and it's the key factor determining the arrow of time.

It turns out that entropy is the only thing that makes a distinction between past and future. In other branches of physics, like relativity or quantum theory, time doesn't have a preferred direction. No one knows where time's arrow comes from. It may be that it only applies to large, complex systems, in which case subatomic particles may not experience the arrow of time.

Time travel paradox 

If it's possible to travel back into the past — even theoretically — it raises a number of brain-twisting paradoxes — such as the grandfather paradox — that even scientists and philosophers find extremely perplexing.

Killing Hitler

A time traveler might decide to go back and kill him in his infancy. If they succeeded, future history books wouldn't even mention Hitler — so what motivation would the time traveler have for going back in time and killing him?

Killing your grandfather

Instead of killing a young Hitler, you might, by accident, kill one of your own ancestors when they were very young. But then you would never be born, so you couldn't travel back in time to kill them, so you would be born after all, and so on … 

A closed loop

Suppose the plans for a time machine suddenly appear from thin air on your desk. You spend a few days building it, then use it to send the plans back to your earlier self. But where did those plans originate? Nowhere — they are just looping round and round in time.

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Is Time Travel Possible?

We all travel in time! We travel one year in time between birthdays, for example. And we are all traveling in time at approximately the same speed: 1 second per second.

We typically experience time at one second per second. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA's space telescopes also give us a way to look back in time. Telescopes help us see stars and galaxies that are very far away . It takes a long time for the light from faraway galaxies to reach us. So, when we look into the sky with a telescope, we are seeing what those stars and galaxies looked like a very long time ago.

However, when we think of the phrase "time travel," we are usually thinking of traveling faster than 1 second per second. That kind of time travel sounds like something you'd only see in movies or science fiction books. Could it be real? Science says yes!

This image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows galaxies that are very far away as they existed a very long time ago. Credit: NASA, ESA and R. Thompson (Univ. Arizona)

How do we know that time travel is possible?

More than 100 years ago, a famous scientist named Albert Einstein came up with an idea about how time works. He called it relativity. This theory says that time and space are linked together. Einstein also said our universe has a speed limit: nothing can travel faster than the speed of light (186,000 miles per second).

Einstein's theory of relativity says that space and time are linked together. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

What does this mean for time travel? Well, according to this theory, the faster you travel, the slower you experience time. Scientists have done some experiments to show that this is true.

For example, there was an experiment that used two clocks set to the exact same time. One clock stayed on Earth, while the other flew in an airplane (going in the same direction Earth rotates).

After the airplane flew around the world, scientists compared the two clocks. The clock on the fast-moving airplane was slightly behind the clock on the ground. So, the clock on the airplane was traveling slightly slower in time than 1 second per second.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Can we use time travel in everyday life?

We can't use a time machine to travel hundreds of years into the past or future. That kind of time travel only happens in books and movies. But the math of time travel does affect the things we use every day.

For example, we use GPS satellites to help us figure out how to get to new places. (Check out our video about how GPS satellites work .) NASA scientists also use a high-accuracy version of GPS to keep track of where satellites are in space. But did you know that GPS relies on time-travel calculations to help you get around town?

GPS satellites orbit around Earth very quickly at about 8,700 miles (14,000 kilometers) per hour. This slows down GPS satellite clocks by a small fraction of a second (similar to the airplane example above).

GPS satellites orbit around Earth at about 8,700 miles (14,000 kilometers) per hour. Credit: GPS.gov

However, the satellites are also orbiting Earth about 12,550 miles (20,200 km) above the surface. This actually speeds up GPS satellite clocks by a slighter larger fraction of a second.

Here's how: Einstein's theory also says that gravity curves space and time, causing the passage of time to slow down. High up where the satellites orbit, Earth's gravity is much weaker. This causes the clocks on GPS satellites to run faster than clocks on the ground.

The combined result is that the clocks on GPS satellites experience time at a rate slightly faster than 1 second per second. Luckily, scientists can use math to correct these differences in time.

If scientists didn't correct the GPS clocks, there would be big problems. GPS satellites wouldn't be able to correctly calculate their position or yours. The errors would add up to a few miles each day, which is a big deal. GPS maps might think your home is nowhere near where it actually is!

In Summary:

Yes, time travel is indeed a real thing. But it's not quite what you've probably seen in the movies. Under certain conditions, it is possible to experience time passing at a different rate than 1 second per second. And there are important reasons why we need to understand this real-world form of time travel.

If you liked this, you may like:

How to find time with distance and speed?

• September 11, 2023
• Kinematics , Mechanics

In this article, we will learn how to find time with distance and speed. In physics, the relationship between time, distance, and speed is fundamental to understanding motion.

The formula linking these three variables allows us to calculate one when the other two are known. This topic is especially relevant to kinematics, the branch of physics that deals with the study of motion.

Table of Contents

Definitions and Basic Concepts

First, let us review the definitions and fundamental concepts that are essential for addressing problems that require determining time when you are given distance and speed.

Speed is defined as the rate at which an object covers a distance. It is a scalar quantity and is given by the formula:

\[ \text{Speed} = \frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Time}} \]

Mathematically, it can be represented as \( v = \frac{d}{t} \).

Visit our page on What is speed in physics? to learn more about this concept.

Distance is the length of the path taken by an object in motion. It is a scalar quantity measured in units like meters, kilometers, or miles.

Time is the duration for which an object is in motion. It is a scalar quantity measured in seconds (s), minutes (min), or hours (h).

The Time-Speed-Distance Formula

To find the time when distance and speed are known, we rearrange the speed formula to solve for time \( t \):

\[ t = \frac{d}{v} \]

Here, \( t \) is the time, \( d \) is the distance, and \( v \) is the speed.

How to find time with distance and speed

Now that we’ve gone over the basic ideas and formula needed to find the time when distance and speed are known, let’s look at an example of how to find time with distance and speed.

Suppose an object travels a distance of 300 meters at a constant speed of 25 m/s. To find the time taken by the object to cover this distance, we can use the formula:

\[ t = \frac{300 \, \text{m}}{25 \, \text{m/s}} = 12 \, \text{s} \]

The object will take 12 seconds to cover a distance of 300 meters.

Questions and Answers

Can we use this formula for variable speeds.

No, the formula \( t = \frac{d}{v} \) is applicable only when the speed is constant. For variable speeds, you would have to use calculus-based methods or refer to the specific equation of motion. (see What is instantaneous speed? )

How does this concept relate to velocity?

Speed is a scalar, while velocity is a vector. The formula for time remains similar (\( t = \frac{d}{v} \)) if you use the magnitude of the velocity vector.

What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is a scalar quantity that only indicates how fast an object is moving. Velocity is a vector that specifies both the speed and direction of motion.

Can time be negative in physics?

Time is generally considered a scalar quantity that cannot be negative in classical physics. However, in theoretical scenarios involving advanced topics like time travel or specific solutions to equations in General Relativity, negative time can sometimes be discussed.

How does acceleration affect time calculations?

When acceleration is involved, the formula \( t = \frac{d}{v} \) is not applicable. Instead, you would use kinematic equations that account for acceleration.

Further Reading

• What is Distance and displacement in physics?
• Rest and Motion in Physics
• What is instantaneous speed?

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2.3: Time, Velocity, and Speed

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Explain the relationships between instantaneous velocity, average velocity, instantaneous speed, average speed, displacement, and time.
• Calculate velocity and speed given initial position, initial time, final position, and final time.
• Derive a graph of velocity vs. time given a graph of position vs. time.
• Interpret a graph of velocity vs. time.

There is more to motion than distance and displacement. Questions such as, “How long does a foot race take?” and “What was the runner’s speed?” cannot be answered without an understanding of other concepts. In this section we add definitions of time, velocity, and speed to expand our description of motion.

As discussed in Physical Quantities and Units , the most fundamental physical quantities are defined by how they are measured. This is the case with time. Every measurement of time involves measuring a change in some physical quantity. It may be a number on a digital clock, a heartbeat, or the position of the Sun in the sky. In physics, the definition of time is simple— time is change , or the interval over which change occurs. It is impossible to know that time has passed unless something changes.

The amount of time or change is calibrated by comparison with a standard. The SI unit for time is the second, abbreviated s. We might, for example, observe that a certain pendulum makes one full swing every 0.75 s. We could then use the pendulum to measure time by counting its swings or, of course, by connecting the pendulum to a clock mechanism that registers time on a dial. This allows us to not only measure the amount of time, but also to determine a sequence of events.

How does time relate to motion? We are usually interested in elapsed time for a particular motion, such as how long it takes an airplane passenger to get from his seat to the back of the plane. To find elapsed time, we note the time at the beginning and end of the motion and subtract the two. For example, a lecture may start at 11:00 A.M. and end at 11:50 A.M., so that the elapsed time would be 50 min. Elapsed time \(Δt\) is the difference between the ending time and beginning time,

\(Δt=t_f−t_0\),

where \(Δt\) is the change in time or elapsed time, \(t_f\) is the time at the end of the motion, and \(t_0\) is the time at the beginning of the motion. (As usual, the delta symbol, \(Δ\), means the change in the quantity that follows it.)

Life is simpler if the beginning time \(t_0\) is taken to be zero, as when we use a stopwatch. If we were using a stopwatch, it would simply read zero at the start of the lecture and 50 min at the end. If \(t_0=0\), then

\[Δt=t_f≡t.\]

In this text, for simplicity’s sake,

• motion starts at time equal to zero (\(t_0=0\))
• the symbol \(t\) is used for elapsed time unless otherwise specified (\(Δt=t_f≡t\))

Your notion of velocity is probably the same as its scientific definition. You know that if you have a large displacement in a small amount of time you have a large velocity, and that velocity has units of distance divided by time, such as miles per hour or kilometers per hour.

Definition: AVERAGE VELOCITY

Average velocity is displacement (change in position) divided by the time of travel,

\[\bar{v}=\frac{Δx}{Δt}=\frac{x_f−x_0}{t_f−t_0}.\]

where \(\bar{v}\) is the average (indicated by the bar over the \(v\)) velocity, \(Δx\) is the change in position (or displacement), and \(x_f\) and \(x_0\) are the final and beginning positions at times \(t_f\) and \(t_0\), respectively. If the starting time \(t_0\) is taken to be zero, then the average velocity is simply

\[\bar{v}=\frac{Δx}{t}.\]

Notice that this definition indicates that velocity is a vector because displacement is a vector . It has both magnitude and direction. The SI unit for velocity is meters per second or m/s, but many other units, such as km/h, mi/h (also written as mph), and cm/s, are in common use. Suppose, for example, an airplane passenger took 5 seconds to move −4 m (the negative sign indicates that displacement is toward the back of the plane). His average velocity would be

The minus sign indicates the average velocity is also toward the rear of the plane.

The average velocity of an object does not tell us anything about what happens to it between the starting point and ending point, however. For example, we cannot tell from average velocity whether the airplane passenger stops momentarily or backs up before he goes to the back of the plane. To get more details, we must consider smaller segments of the trip over smaller time intervals.

The smaller the time intervals considered in a motion, the more detailed the information. When we carry this process to its logical conclusion, we are left with an infinitesimally small interval. Over such an interval, the average velocity becomes the instantaneous velocity or the velocity at a specific instant . A car’s speedometer, for example, shows the magnitude (but not the direction) of the instantaneous velocity of the car. (Police give tickets based on instantaneous velocity, but when calculating how long it will take to get from one place to another on a road trip, you need to use average velocity.) Instantaneous velocity \(v\) is the average velocity at a specific instant in time (or over an infinitesimally small time interval).

Mathematically, finding instantaneous velocity, \(v\), at a precise instant \(t\) can involve taking a limit, a calculus operation beyond the scope of this text. However, under many circumstances, we can find precise values for instantaneous velocity without calculus.

In everyday language, most people use the terms “speed” and “velocity” interchangeably. In physics, however, they do not have the same meaning and they are distinct concepts. One major difference is that speed has no direction. Thus speed is a scalar . Just as we need to distinguish between instantaneous velocity and average velocity, we also need to distinguish between instantaneous speed and average speed.

Instantaneous speed is the magnitude of instantaneous velocity. For example, suppose the airplane passenger at one instant had an instantaneous velocity of −3.0 m/s (the minus meaning toward the rear of the plane). At that same time his instantaneous speed was 3.0 m/s. Or suppose that at one time during a shopping trip your instantaneous velocity is 40 km/h due north. Your instantaneous speed at that instant would be 40 km/h—the same magnitude but without a direction. Average speed, however, is very different from average velocity. Average speed is the distance traveled divided by elapsed time.

We have noted that distance traveled can be greater than displacement. So average speed can be greater than average velocity, which is displacement divided by time. For example, if you drive to a store and return home in half an hour, and your car’s odometer shows the total distance traveled was 6 km, then your average speed was 12 km/h. Your average velocity, however, was zero, because your displacement for the round trip is zero. (Displacement is change in position and, thus, is zero for a round trip.) Thus average speed is not simply the magnitude of average velocity.

Another way of visualizing the motion of an object is to use a graph. A plot of position or of velocity as a function of time can be very useful. For example, for this trip to the store, the position, velocity, and speed-vs.-time graphs are displayed in Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\). (Note that these graphs depict a very simplified model of the trip. We are assuming that speed is constant during the trip, which is unrealistic given that we’ll probably stop at the store. But for simplicity’s sake, we will model it with no stops or changes in speed. We are also assuming that the route between the store and the house is a perfectly straight line.)

MAKING CONNECTIONS: TAKE-HOME INVESTIGATION - GETTING A SENSE OF SPEED

If you have spent much time driving, you probably have a good sense of speeds between about 10 and 70 miles per hour. But what are these in meters per second? What do we mean when we say that something is moving at 10 m/s? To get a better sense of what these values really mean, do some observations and calculations on your own:

• calculate typical car speeds in meters per second
• estimate jogging and walking speed by timing yourself; convert the measurements into both m/s and mi/h
• determine the speed of an ant, snail, or falling leaf

Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\)

A commuter train travels from Baltimore to Washington, DC, and back in 1 hour and 45 minutes. The distance between the two stations is approximately 40 miles. What is

• the average velocity of the train, and
• the average speed of the train in m/s?

(a) The average velocity of the train is zero because \(x_f=x_0\); the train ends up at the same place it starts.

(b) The average speed of the train is calculated below. Note that the train travels 40 miles one way and 40 miles back, for a total distance of 80 miles.

• Time is measured in terms of change, and its SI unit is the second (s). Elapsed time for an event is \[Δt=t_f−t_0 \nonumber,\] where \(t_f\) is the final time and \(t_0\) is the initial time. The initial time is often taken to be zero, as if measured with a stopwatch; the elapsed time is then just \(t\).
• Average velocity \(\bar{v}\) is defined as displacement divided by the travel time. In symbols, average velocity is \[\bar{v}=\frac{Δx}{Δt}=\frac{x_f−x_0}{t_f−t_0} \nonumber.\]
• The SI unit for velocity is m/s.
• Velocity is a vector and thus has a direction.
• Instantaneous velocity \(v\) is the velocity at a specific instant or the average velocity for an infinitesimal interval.
• Instantaneous speed is the magnitude of the instantaneous velocity.
• Instantaneous speed is a scalar quantity, as it has no direction specified.
• Average speed is the total distance traveled divided by the elapsed time. (Average speed is not the magnitude of the average velocity.) Speed is a scalar quantity; it has no direction associated with it.

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Physics library

Course: physics library   >   unit 1.

• Intro to vectors and scalars
• Introduction to reference frames
• What is displacement?
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Solving for time

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Video transcript

Speed Calculator

How to calculate speed - average speed formula, solving the speed equation to calculate distance and time, speed vs. velocity.

If you're searching for how to calculate the speed-time-distance relationship, this speed calculator is for you! With this calculator, you can:

• Calculate speed , given distance and time;
• By inputting speed and distance, calculate time ;
• Calculate distance ;
• Compare the time with a different speed, using the advanced mode in the calculator.

Consider that when we use total distance covered and time traveled (as in this calculator), we calculate an average speed . The final section discusses this and the difference between speed and velocity .

CalcTool's internal unit conversion allows you to conveniently have the inputs and outputs in different units. If you have doubts about calculating miles per hour and other velocity units, you can look at our speed converter .

Once you've mastered speed and velocity, you'll be ready to study acceleration with our acceleration calculator .

Speed is equal to the distance traveled divided by the time taken:

speed = distance/time

It's important to know that this is an average speed formula , as going over some distance in a specific amount of time could be done at different speeds during that travel.

Now that you know how to find the speed let's see how to calculate distance and time.

If we know the average speed and time, we can solve the previous speed equation for distance :

distance = speed × time

And do the same for time :

time = distance/speed

Speed and velocity might seem the same, but they're not.

• Speed is a scalar quantity - it has magnitude only but not direction. In simple terms, it tells how fast an object moves.
• Velocity is a vector quantity - it is defined not only by magnitude but also by direction . It tells the rate at which an object changes its position.

While speed depends on distance traveled, velocity depends on initial and final positions . If the initial and final positions are the same, the position doesn't change, and the average velocity equals zero.

Suppose a car travels from point A to point B and returns to point A, all that in 30 seconds. If there's a distance of 50 m between both points, the car had an average speed of:

speed = distance/time = (2 × 50 m)/30 s = 3.33 m/s

On the other hand, the velocity is zero, as the initial and final positions are the same.

Acceleration

Displacement, schwarzschild radius.

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Speed, Distance & Time Calculator

Use this speed calculator to easily calculate the average speed, distance travelled and the trip duration of a vehicle: car, bus, train, bike, motorcycle, plane etc. Works with miles, feet, kilometers, meters, etc..

Related calculators

• Speed, Distance & Time Calculation
• Average Speed formula
• Distance formula
• Duration (Time) formula
• How to calculate the average speed of a car?

    Speed, Distance & Time Calculation

In order to use the above speed, distance & time calculator, or do such math on your own, you will need to know two out of three metrics: speed, distance, time. You will need to convert the metrics to the same time and distance units, e.g. miles, kilometers, meters, yards, feet, and hours, minutes or seconds. For example, if you have speed in mph (miles per hour), time should also be in hours. If you have distance in kilometers, then speed should also be in km/h (kilometers per hour).

The unit of the result will depend on the units you input, but our speed calculator will conveniently display additional units where appropriate.

    Average Speed formula

The formula for average speed, also called average velocity in physics and engineering, is:

where v is the velocity, d is the distance, and t is the time, so you can read it as Speed = Distance / Time . As noted above, make sure you convert the units appropriately first, or use our speed calculator which does that automatically. The resulting unit will depend on the units for both time and distance, so if your input was in miles and hours, the speed will be in mph. If it was in meters and seconds, it will be in m/s (meters per second).

Example: If you took a plane from New York to Los Angeles and the flight was 5 hours of air time, what was the speed of the plane, given that the flight path was 2450 miles? The answer is 2450 / 5 = 490 mph (miles per hour) average speed. If you want the result in km/h, you can convert from miles to km to get 788.58 km/h.

    Distance formula

The formula for distance, if you know time (duration) and the average speed, is:

Example: If a truck travelled at an average speed of 80 km per hour for 4 hours, how many miles did it cover in that time? To find the miles covered, first, calculate 80 * 4 = 320 km, then convert km to miles by dividing by 1.6093 or by using our km to miles converter to get the answer: 198.84 miles.

    Duration (Time) formula

The time, or more precisely, the duration of the trip, can be calculated knowing the distance and the average speed using the formula:

where d is the distance travelled, v is the speed (velocity) and t is the time, so you can read it as Time = Distance / Speed . Make sure you convert the units so both their distance and time components match, or use our trip duration calculator above which will handle conversions automatically. For example, if you have distance in miles and speed in km/h, you will need to convert speed to mph or distance to kilometers. The time unit of the result will match the time unit of the speed measure, so if it is measured in something per hour, the result will be in hours. If it is measured in some unit per second, the result will be in seconds.

Example: If a train can travel 500 miles with an average speed of 50 miles per hour, how long it would take it to complete a 500-mile route? To find the answer, use the formula and substitute the values, resulting in 500 / 50 = 10 hours.

    How to calculate the average speed of a car?

Say you travelled a certain distance with a car or another vehicle and you want to calculate what its average speed was. The easiest way to do that would be by using the calculator above, but if you prefer, you can also do the math yourself. Either way, you need to know the distance to a satisfactory approximation, for which you can use a map (e.g. Google Maps) to measure the distance from point to point. Make sure you measure closely to the path you took, and not via a straight line, unless you travelled by air in which case that would be a good approximation. Of course, having a GPS reading of the distance would be more precise. Then you need to know the travel time. Make sure you subtract any rests or stops you made from the total trip duration.

If the total distance travelled was 500 miles and the time it took you was 5 hours, then your average speed was 500 / 5 = 100 miles per hour (mph). If the distance was 300 kilometers and it took you 5 hours to cover it, your speed was 300 / 5 = 60 km/h (kilometers per hour).

Cite this calculator & page

If you'd like to cite this online calculator resource and information as provided on the page, you can use the following citation: Georgiev G.Z., "Speed Distance Time Calculator" , [online] Available at: https://www.gigacalculator.com/calculators/speed-calculator.php URL [Accessed Date: 18 Apr, 2024].

     Transportation calculators

How to calculate speed, distance and time

Part of Maths Distance, speed and time

Speed close speed A measure of how the distance travelled by a moving object changes with time. The average speed of a moving object is defined as the total distance travelled/time taken to travel that distance. The units of speed are length/time, eg kilometres per hour, or metres per second. is a compound measure close compound measure Made up of more than one part. Eg, speed uses both distance and time and is a compound measure. linking distance and time.

Speed gives the distance travelled in a unit of time and measures how fast something is moving. The average speed is measured, as most objects do not move at a constant close constant A number or quantity that does not vary. A constant speed is a steady speed. Eg, the speed of light is constant. The speed of a car is not constant, it varies. speed.

Units of speed are always a unit of length per unit of time.

Different units of length and time may be chosen depending on the situation. This makes it easier to read the measurements. For example, the speed a cricket ball travels might be measured in metres per second (m/s), while a car's speed might be measured in miles per hour (mph).

If two of the three variables – speed, distance or time – are known, the third can be worked out. A formula triangle close formula triangle A tool to help decide which calculation is needed to work out speed, distance, or time. can help solve a speed, distance or time problem.

Watch the video to listen to Steph, a sports coach, describe how calculating speed, distance and time is useful when coaching and playing football.

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Video transcript video transcript.

Bobby : So, like on a day-to-day and a week-to-week basis, what does being a sports coach involve?

Steph : We train once a week for an hour. It’s important that we pick topics and focus on things for them to really learn. So, it might be passing, it might be shooting, it might be defending, or it might even be something like how you use speed to accelerate when we’re running with the ball to beat a defender.

Bobby : So, how will you try and incorporate speed into your training sessions?

Steph : So, we do a lot of work with the ball at our feet, so if you’re dribbling towards the defender, when might you use speed to go past them, to change direction, to fool them? And if you’re the defender, when might you try and really slow the player down so that the player running towards you doesn’t have a chance of beating you?

Bobby : So, as a maths teacher, I think of speed as the distance covered divided by the time. So, would you ever do a session where you’re running up and down the length of the pitch?

Steph : I wouldn't do that at my level but I think at higher levels, that happens a lot. One, for fitness training but also to work out howfast these players are. So, the higher you get up in football, the more important it is actually that you are able to accelerate, to decelerate and know when to do that at different moments in the game.

Bobby : And at the higher end elite levels of the game, are they still calculating speeds?

Steph : Oh, they’re definitely calculating speeds, far more than we are at the lower levels of the game. So, they might have a radar gun to do that, for example, or they might be using the equation that you just used. I know players coming for pre-season training, they're tested on their speed, they're tested that they hit a certain level and then they look to improve that with players all of the time.

Bobby : Brilliant. So how else might you use maths on a sort of basis outside of speed, distance and time?

Steph : At my level, I tend to just look at how many games players have played, what the score was, goals scored, assists and maybe how many times they were captain. But if you talk about the elite levels again, they're tracking absolutely everything.

What is speed and the units of speed?

Speed is a compound measure close compound measure Made up of more than one part. Eg, speed uses both distance and time and is a compound measure. of how fast an object moves. It is given as a distance per unit of time.

Distances are units of length and can be given in metric units close metric units Unit of measurement in the metric system. Metric units include metre, centimetre, millimetre, kilometre. (including kilometres and metres) or imperial units close imperial units A unit of measurement. Units include inch, foot, yard, and mile. Now largely replaced by metric units. (including miles and feet).

Units of time include hours, minutes and seconds.

Speed is stated as a length per unit of time. For example a speed could be 70 miles per hour, while another speed could be 45 metres per second.

Speed is a compound measure of distance divided by time.

Speed units are read as length unit per time unit. Units of speed include miles per hour (mph), kilometres per hour (km/h or kmph) and metres per second (m/s or ms⁻¹).

Distance is a measure of length. Length can be given in metric units, such as kilometres, metres and centimetres, or imperial units, such as miles.

The units of time include seconds, minutes, and hours.

A car travelling 46 miles in one hour has an average speed of 46 miles per hour (46 mph).

An athlete completing 100 metres in 10 seconds has an average speed of 10 metres per second (m/s). The athlete travels 10 metres every second.

How to use a formula triangle to find speed, distance or time

To calculate distance, speed or time given the other two variables:

Draw a formula triangle close formula triangle A tool to help decide which calculation is needed to work out speed, distance, or time. for speed, distance and time. Starting at the top and working clockwise, enter D for distance, T for time and S for speed.

Use the formula triangle to establish the correct calculation by covering up what needs to be worked out.

To work out speed, cover the S.

To work out distance, cover the D.

To work out time, cover the T.

The remaining variables show the calculation.

For speed, D over T means distance divided by time.

For distance, S and T next to each other means speed multiplied by time.

For time, D over S means distance divided by speed.

Substitute the values given and process the calculation. Write the answer with the correct units.

When two variables are given the third can be calculated using the formula triangle.

A car journey of 180 miles takes 3 hours. Find the average speed of the car. Draw the formula triangle. Working clockwise from the top, enter D (distance), T (time) and S (speed).

To work out speed, cover up the S. The remaining variables are D over T. This means that to find the speed, the calculation is distance divided by time.

Substitute the given values for distance (180) and time (3)

Process the calculation (180 ÷ 3). Write the answer with the correct units (miles per hour). The average speed of the car is 60 mph.

A cyclist travels at an average speed of 18 km/h for 4 hours. Work out the total distance cycled. Draw the formula triangle. Working clockwise from the top, enter D (distance), T (time) and S (speed).

To work out distance, cover up D. The remaining variables are S next to T. This means that to find the distance, the calculation is speed multiplied by time.

Substitute the given values for speed (18) and time (4)

Process the calculation (18 × 4). Write the answer with the correct units (kilometres/km). The distance cycled is 72 km.

A car travelled 315 miles at an average speed of 45 mph. How long did it take?

Show answer Hide answer

Draw a formula triangle for speed, distance and time. Working clockwise from the top, enter D for distance, T for time and S for speed.

Use the formula triangle to work out the correct calculation.

Cover up T because time needs to be worked out. The remaining variables, D over S means distance divided by speed.

Substitute the values given, distance (315) and speed (45). Process the calculation (315 ÷ 45 = 7).

Write the answer with the correct units. The car took 7 hours to travel 315 miles at 45 mph.

More on Distance, speed and time

Find out more by working through a topic

How to calculate speed, distance and time using a bar model

• count 2 of 2

Speed Distance Time Calculator

Please enter the speed and distance values to calculate the travel time in hours, minutes and seconds.

About Speed Distance Time Calculator

This online calculator tool can be a great help for calculating time basing on such physical concepts as speed and distance. Therefore, in order to calculate the time, both distance and speed parameters must be entered. For the speed , you need to enter its value and select speed unit by using the scroll down menu in the calculator. For distance , you should enter its value and also select the proper length measurement unit from the scroll down menu. You'll receive the result in standard time format (HH:MM:SS).

Time Speed Distance Formula

Distance is equal to speed × time. Time is equal Distance/Speed.

Calculate Time from Distance and Speed Examples

Recent comments.

Going 65mph for 30 seconds how far would you get? None of these formulas work without distance. How would I find the distance from time and speed?

if i travel 0.01 inches per second and I need to travel 999999999 kilometers, it takes 556722071 Days and 20:24:34 WHAT

4. How long does it take to do 100m at 3kph ? No I thought you would just divide 100 ÷ 3 = which 33.33333 so 33 seconds or so I thought. But apparently it 2 mins.

This was the best tool ive ever used that was on point from speed to distance and time Calculator

This was somewhat unhelpful as I know the time and distance, but not the speed. Would be helpful if this calculator also could solve the other two as well.

If a total distance of 2 miles is driven, with the first mile being driven at a speed of 15mph, and the second mile driven at a speed of 45 mph: What is the average speed of the full 2 mile trip?

hi sorry im newly introduced to this and i dont understand how to use it but in need to find the distance if i was travelling in the average speed of 15km/hr in 4 hours how far would i travel

D= 697 km T= 8 hours and 12 minutes S= ?

if a train is going 130 miles in 50 minutes, how fast is it going in miles per hour ??

whats the speed if you travel 2000 miles in 20hours?

How long would it take me to drive to Mars at 100 miles per hour and how much gas would I use in a 2000 Ford Mustang000000/ Also, how much CO2 would I release into the air?

great tool helped me alot

A car can go from rest to 45 km/hr in 5 seconds. What is its acceleration?

Guys how much time will a cyclist take to cover 132 METRES With a speed of 8 km/ph

@Mike Depends on how fast that actually is. For every 10 mph above 60, but below 120, you save 5 seconds a mile. But between the 30-60 area, every ten saves 10 seconds a mile (if I am remembering correctly), and every 10 between 15-30 is 20 seconds. Realistically, it isn't likely isn't worth it, unless it is a relatively straight drive with no stops, in which case you will likely go up a gear for the drive and thus improve gas efficiency for the trip. Only really saves time if it is over long trips 300+ miles (in which case, assuming you were on the interstate) that 5 seconds a mile would save you 25 minutes from the drive, making it go from 4h35m to 4h10m. For me, I have family across the U.S., so family visits are usually 900-1400 miles. Even only driving 5 above usually saves me 90-150 minutes or so (since I often have stretches where I drive on US highways which have 55 mph speed limits)

I would like to know if driving fast is worth it for short trips. If I drive 10 MPH over the speed limit for 10 miles, how much time do i save ? Is there an equation for that ?

it helps me in lot of stuff

awesome, helped me notice how long my taiga (electric seedoo) is going to last.

Very good! This helped me a lot.

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Distance Speed Time Formula

Speed is a measure of how quickly an object moves from one place to another. It is equal to the distance traveled divided by the time. It is possible to find any of these three values using the other two. This picture is helpful:

The positions of the words in the triangle show where they need to go in the equations. To find the speed, distance is over time in the triangle, so speed is distance divided by time. To find distance, speed is beside time, so distance is speed multiplied by time.

s = speed (meters/second)

d = distance traveled (meters)

t = time (seconds)

1) A dog runs from one side of a park to the other. The park is 80.0 meters across. The dog takes 16.0 seconds to cross the park. What is the speed of the dog?

Answer: The distance the dog travels and the time it takes are given. The dog’s speed can be found with the formula:

s = 5.0 m/s

The speed of the dog is 5.0 meters per second.

2) A golf cart is driven at its top speed of 27.0 km/h for 10.0 minutes. In meters, how far did the golf cart travel?

Answer: The first step to solve this problem is to change the units of the speed and time so that the answer found will be in meters, since this is what the question asks for. The speed is:

s = 27.0 km/h

s = 7.50 m/s

Converting the units, the speed is 7.50 m/s. The time the cart traveled for was:

t = 10.0 min

d = (7.50 m/s)(600 s)

The golf cart traveled 4500 m, which is equal to 4.50 km.

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Speed Formula

The speed formula can be defined as the rate at which an object covers some distance. Speed can be measured as the distance traveled by a body in a given period of time. The SI unit of speed is m/s. In this section, we will learn more about the speed formula and its applications.

What is the Speed Formula?

Let's move further and explore more about the speed formula in this section. Different units can be used to express speed, like m/s, km/hr, miles/hr, etc. The dimensional formula of speed is [LT -1 ]. Speed is a measure of how fast a body is moving. The formula for the speed of a given body can be expressed as,

Formula for Speed

Speed = Distance ÷ Time

How to Use Speed Formula?

Speed formula can be used to find the speed of objects, given the distance and time taken to cover that distance. We can also use the speed formula to calculate the distance or time by substituting the known values in the formula for speed and further evaluating, Distance = Speed × Time or, Time = Distance/Speed Let's take a quick look at an example showing how to use the formula for speed.

Example:  What is your speed if you travel 3600 m in 30 minutes?

Solution:  Using Formula for Speed,

Speed = Distance ÷ Time Speed = 3600 ÷ (30 × 60) = 2

Answer: Your speed if you travel 3600m in 30 minutes is 2 m/s.

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Examples on Speed Formula

Let us solve some interesting problems using the speed formula.

Example 1:  A train covered a distance of 120 km in an hour. Determine the speed of the train in m/s using the speed formula.

To find: The speed of the train. The distance covered by a train in meters = 120×1000m = 120000m  Time taken by train in seconds = 60×60 = 3600 second Using Formula for Speed, Speed = Distance/Time = 120000/3600 = 33.3m/sec

Answer: The speed of the train is 33.3 m/s.

Example 2: A cyclist covers 20 km in 50 minutes. Use the speed formula to calculate the speed of the cyclist in m/s.

Solution:  To find: The speed of a cyclist. The distance covered by a cyclist in meters =  20×1000 =20000m  Time taken by cyclist in seconds = 50×60= 3000 second Using formula for speed, Speed = Distance/Time = 20000/3000 = 6.67m/sec

Answer: The speed of the cyclist is 6.67 m/s.

Example 3: Using the speed formula calculate the speed of a person in kilometers per hour if the distance he travels is 40 kilometers in 2 hours?

The formula for speed is [Speed = Distance ÷ Time] Distance = 40 kilometers Time = 2 hours Speed = (40 ÷ 2) km/hr = 20 kilometers per hour

Answer: The speed of the person is 20 kilometers per hour.

FAQs on Speed Formula 

How to calculate distance using speed formula .

The formula for Speed is given as [Speed = Distance ÷ Time]. To calculate the distance, the speed formula can be molded as [Distance = Speed × Time].

How to Calculate Time Using Speed Formula?

The formula for speed is given as [Speed = Distance ÷ Time].To calculate the time, the speed formula will be molded as [Time = Distance Travelled ÷ Speed].

How to Use the Formula for Speed?

Speed formula can be used in our day-to-day lives to find the speed of objects. To understand how to use the formula for speed let us consider an example. Example: What is your speed if you travel 4000m in 40 minutes? Solution: Using Formula for Speed, Speed = Distance ÷ Time Speed = 4000 ÷ (40 × 60) = 1.67m/s.

Answer: Your speed if you travel 4000m in 40 minutes is 1.67 m/s.

What will be the General Speed Formula for an Object?

The general speed formula for an object is given as [Speed = Distance ÷ Time]. SI units of speed is m/s.

Speed Formula – Definition, Examples, Practice Problems, FAQs

What is the formula for speed in math, formula for speed, how to calculate speed in math, speed, distance, and time: formulas, solved examples on speed formula, practice problems on speed formula, frequently asked questions about the speed formula.

The formula for speed in math is determined by dividing the distance traveled by the time taken to cover that distance . 

Speed $= \frac{Distance}{Time}$

Speed is a measure of how quickly an object moves or the rate at which an object covers a certain distance. It is a scalar quantity and is typically expressed in units such as meters per second (m/s), kilometers per hour (km/h), or miles per hour (mph).

Example: Suppose that a car travels from point A to point B in half an hour. If the distance between A and B is 2 miles, what was the speed of the car?

Distance = 2 miles

Time taken = 0.5 hour

Speed $= \frac{Distance}{Time} = \frac{2}{0.5} = 4$ miles per hour

A mathematical equation called the speed formula is used to determine how fast an object is moving. It is determined by dividing the total distance traveled by the time needed to complete that distance. 

The formula to find speed is

Speed$ = \frac{Distance}{Time}$

S $= \frac{D}{T}$

D: Distance

The unit of the speed calculated by this formula is dependent on the units of time and distance. 

In order to determine the speed in mathematics, it is necessary to know both the distance traveled and the amount of time taken to cover that distance. Follow this step-by-step method to calculate speed.

Step 1: Determine the total distance traveled

Note that if the problem mentions a round journey, it means that the same distance is covered twice.

Step 2: Measure or determine the time taken to cover the distance

Step 3: Use the formula for speed

To find the speed, divide the distance by the amount of time taken.

Step 4: Write the answer using the correct unit of measurement.

The speed will be given in meters per second (m/s), for instance, if the distance is in meters and the time is in seconds. The speed will be expressed in miles per hour (mph) if the distance is measured in miles and the time in hours.

To calculate one quantity, one must have information about the other two quantities involved.

The picture given above shows three different triangles showing rearrangements of the formula of speed. The first triangle shows the formula for speed. The second and third triangles depict the formulae for distance and time, respectively.

Facts on Speed Formula

• Speed is a scalar quantity. Speed does not consider the direction of motion, only the magnitude.
• Distance is the measure of how much ground an object has covered or the total movement of an object on ground.
• Time is the measure of the duration or the interval between two events.
• Speed is inversely proportional to time. As the speed increases, the time required to travel a certain distance decreases.

In this article, we learned about the concept of speed and its formula, which calculates the rate of motion. Speed is a scalar quantity that considers only magnitude. To reinforce our understanding, let’s now apply the speed formula through solving examples and attempting MCQs for better comprehension.

1. What is the average speed of a car that travels a distance of 120 miles in 2 hours?

Distance = 120 miles

Time = 2 hours

Use the speed formula to calculate the speed.

Speed $= \frac{120 \;miles}{2 \;hours} = 60$mph

Therefore, the average speed of a car that travels a distance of 120 miles in 2 hours is 60 mph.

2. What is the average speed of a cyclist who covers a distance of 30 miles in 1.5 hours?

Distance = 30 miles

Time = 1.5 hours

Speed $= \frac{30 \;miles}{1.5 \;hours} = 20$mph

Therefore, the average speed of a cyclist who covers a distance of 30 miles in 1.5 hours is 20 mph.

3. How much distance does a train cover when traveling at a constant speed of 80 miles for 3 hours?

Speed = 80 mph

Time = 3 hours

Use the rearranged speed formula to calculate the distance.

Distance $= Speed \times Time$

Distance $= 80\; mph \times 3\; hours = 240$ miles

Therefore, the train, when traveling at a constant speed of 80 miles for 3 hours, is 240 miles.

4. What is the time required by a car that travels a distance of 400 miles at a speed of 60 mph?

Distance $= 400$ miles

Speed $= 60$ mph

Use the rearranged speed formula to calculate the time.

Time $= \frac{Distance}{Speed}$

Time = \frac{400 \;miles}{60 \;mph} ≈ 6.67$ hours

Therefore, for the car to cover a distance of 400 miles, it takes approximately 6.67 hours (or 6 hours and 40 minutes).

5. What will be the time a car takes at a speed of 60 miles per hour to move a distance of 180 miles?

Solution: 

Distance = 180 miles

Speed = 60 miles per hour

Using the formula of time, we can calculate the time-

Time$= \frac{Distance}{Speed}$

Time $= \frac{180 \;miles}{60 \;miles\; per\; hour} = 3$ hours

Therefore, the car takes approximately 3 hours to move a distance of 180 miles at a speed of 60 miles per hour.

Speed Formula - Definition, Examples, Practice Problems, FAQs

Attend this quiz & Test your knowledge.

What is the formula to calculate speed?

What is the speed of a car that travels a distance of 120 miles in 2 hours, how much time does it take for a cyclist to travel a distance of 45 miles at a speed of 15 mph, what is a runner’s average speed for completing a marathon at a distance of 42.195 miles in 3.5 hours, how far did a train travel at a speed of 80 mph for 2.5 hours.

What is the difference between speed and average speed?

Speed is a one-time calculation. Speed represents the rate of travel at a specific moment, but the average speed takes into account the different speeds maintained throughout the trip and provides an overall average rate of travel.

How do you calculate speed by using the speed formula?

Typically, the formula for speed is written as:

In this equation, “Speed” denotes the rate at which an object goes, “Distance” denotes the total distance covered by the object, and “Time” denotes how long it takes for the thing to travel that distance.

How is speed different from velocity?

Speed and velocity have distinct meanings in physics. Speed is a scalar quantity that refers to the magnitude of the rate at which an object covers a distance, while velocity is a vector quantity that includes both the magnitude and direction of the object’s motion.

What is the difference between speed from acceleration?

An object’s speed is how quickly it travels, whereas its acceleration is how quickly its speed varies. Positive (speeding up) or negative (slowing down) acceleration are both possible.

What is the mileage of a vehicle?

The mileage of a vehicle refers to the distance it can travel on a certain amount of fuel. It is a measure of the vehicle’s fuel efficiency.

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Module 9: Multi-Step Linear Equations

Using the distance, rate, and time formula, learning outcomes.

• Use the problem-solving method to solve problems using the distance, rate, and time formula

One formula you’ll use often in algebra and in everyday life is the formula for distance traveled by an object moving at a constant speed. The basic idea is probably already familiar to you. Do you know what distance you traveled if you drove at a steady rate of [latex]60[/latex] miles per hour for [latex]2[/latex] hours? (This might happen if you use your car’s cruise control while driving on the Interstate.) If you said [latex]120[/latex] miles, you already know how to use this formula!

The math to calculate the distance might look like this:

[latex]\begin{array}{}\\ \text{distance}=\left(\Large\frac{60\text{ miles}}{1\text{ hour}}\normalsize\right)\left(2\text{ hours}\right)\hfill \\ \text{distance}=120\text{ miles}\hfill \end{array}[/latex]

In general, the formula relating distance, rate, and time is

[latex]\text{distance}\text{=}\text{rate}\cdot \text{time}[/latex]

Distance, Rate, and Time

For an object moving at a uniform (constant) rate, the distance traveled, the elapsed time, and the rate are related by the formula

[latex]d=rt[/latex]

where [latex]d=[/latex] distance, [latex]r=[/latex] rate, and [latex]t=[/latex] time.

Notice that the units we used above for the rate were miles per hour, which we can write as a ratio [latex]\Large\frac{miles}{hour}[/latex]. Then when we multiplied by the time, in hours, the common units “hour” divided out. The answer was in miles.

Jamal rides his bike at a uniform rate of [latex]12[/latex] miles per hour for [latex]3\Large\frac{1}{2}[/latex] hours. How much distance has he traveled?

In the following video we provide another example of how to solve for distance given rate and time.

Rey is planning to drive from his house in San Diego to visit his grandmother in Sacramento, a distance of [latex]520[/latex] miles. If he can drive at a steady rate of [latex]65[/latex] miles per hour, how many hours will the trip take?

Show Solution

In the following video we show another example of how to find rate given distance and time.

• Question ID 145550, 145553,145619,145620. Authored by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Ex: Find the Rate Given Distance and Time. Authored by : James Sousa (Mathispower4u.com). Located at : https://youtu.be/3rYh32ErDaE . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Example: Solve a Problem using Distance = Rate x Time. Authored by : James Sousa (Mathispower4u.com). Located at : https://youtu.be/lMO1L_CvH4Y . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Prealgebra. Provided by : OpenStax. License : CC BY: Attribution . License Terms : Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]

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• Formula of Speed Time and Travelled Distance

Introduction of Speed, Distance and Time

‘Speed, distance, time’ is one of the famous and important topics within the maths or quantitative field of any competitive exam. The concept of velocity, time, and distance is used drastically for questions referring to specific topics inclusive of motion in a straight line, circular motion, boats, races, clocks, and many others. 

Distance, Speed, Time Formula

Students are commonly asked to determine the distance, speed, or travel time of something given any two variables. These types of problems are quite interesting to solve as it describes real-life situations for many people. For example, a question might say: 

Find the distance a car has traveled in twenty minutes at a constant speed of 50 km /hr. Generally in these problems, we use the distance speed time formula to calculate the desired quantity.

Speed 

Speed is defined as the rate at which an object moves from one place to another in a given interval of time. It is a scalar quantity as it defines only the magnitude not the directions of an object moving. The S.I. unit of speed is m/s.

The speed of a moving object can be calculated as: 

\[ Speed = \frac{Distance}{Time}\]

Speed can either be uniform or variable.

Average Speed: The average speed is the total distance covered by an object in a particular interval of time. For example,

If a moving object covers d₁, d₂, d₃...dₙ with different speeds V₁, V₂, V₃,...V n m/s in time t₁, t₂, t₃,...t n respectively, the average speed is calculated as:

\[ \frac{Total \, Distance \, Traveled}{Total \, Time \, Taken} = \frac{d_{1},d_{2},d_{3},..d_{n}}{t_{1},t_{2},t_{3},..t_{n}}\]

What is Relative Speed?

Relative speed is the speed of a moving object in terms of another. When two objects are moving in the same direction, then the difference in their speed is termed relative speed.

Similarly, when two objects are moving in different directions, then the sum of their speed is termed relative speed.

Relative Speed Formula in Time and Distance

Let us understand the relative speed formula in time and distance with an example.

If two objects are moving in the same direction at x₁ m/s and x₂ m/s, respectively, where x₁ > x₂, then their relative speed is (x₁ - x₂) m/s.

Example 1: Consider two objects X and Y separated by a distance of d meters. Suppose, If both X and Y are moving in the same direction at the same time at a speed of x meter per second and y meter per second respectively, then

Relative speed = (X - Y) metre per second

If two objects are moving in different directions at x₁ m/s and x₂ m/s, respectively, where x₁ < x₂, then their relative speed is (x₁ + x₂) m/s.

Example 2: Consider two objects X and Y separated by a distance of d meters. Suppose, If both X and Y are moving in different directions at the same time such X moves towards Y at speed of x m/s, and Y moves away from X at a speed of y m/s, where X > Y, then, 

Relative Speed = (X + Y) metre per second

Distance refers to the length of the path covered by an object or person. You can calculate the distance traveled by an object if you know how long and how fast it moved. The distance traveled by an object or person in terms of speed and time can be calculated as: 

Time refers to the duration in hours, minutes, or seconds spent to cover a particular distance. Time taken by a moving object to cover a certain distance at a given speed is calculated as :

\[ Time = \frac{Distance}{Speed}\]

Relationship between Speed, Time and Distance

\[ Speed = \frac{Distance}{Time}\] This tells us how slow or fast an item actions. It describes the distance traveled divided by the point taken to cover the distance. 

Distance is directly proportional to speed, but time is inversely proportionate. Thus, \[ Distance = Speed * Time \]

\[ Time = \frac{Distance}{Speed}\], as the rate increases the time taken will decrease and vice versa. 

Using the precise units is critical to not forget while the usage of the formulation. 

Units for Speed, Time, and Distance

Speed, distance, and time may be expressed in one of a kind:

Time - second (sec), minute (min), hour (hr)

Distance - meter (m), kilometer (km), mile, feet

Speed - m/s, km/hr

So, if distance = kilometre and time = hour, then velocity = distance/ time; the units of speed would be km/ hr.

Units of speed, time, and distance are obvious, let us apprehend the conversions related to these.

Speed, Time and Distance Conversions

In order to convert from km/hour to m/sec, we multiply by 5/18. So, 1 km/hour = 5/18 m/sec

In order to convert from m/sec to km/hour, we multiply with the aid of 18/five. So, 1 m/sec = 18/5 km/hour = 3.6 km/hour

1 yard = 3 ft

1 kilometer= 1000 meters

1 mile= 1.6 km

1 hr = 60 minute = 3600 seconds

If the ratio of speeds is a: b for a certain distance, the ratio of time taken to close the gap may be b: a, and vice versa.

Uses of Speed, Time, and Distance

Average speed  

\[common velocity = \frac{general \, distance \, traveled}{overall \, time \, taken}\]

When the distance is consistent: common \[ velocity = \frac{2xy}{x+y}\]; where x and y are the 2 speeds at which the identical distance has been covered.

Solved Examples

A person has covered a distance of 60 km in 2 hours. Calculate the speed of the bike.

Given: Distance Covered, distance = 60 km,

Time taken, time = 2 hours

Speed is calculated using the formula: \[ Speed = \frac{Distance}{Time}\]

= 30 Km/hr.

In a bike race, a biker is moving at a speed of 80 km/hr. He has to cover a distance of 105 km. Calculate the time will he need to reach his destiny.

Given: Speed = 80 km/hr,

Distance  to cover, d = 105 km,

Taken time, t =?

Speed is given by the formula: \[ Time = \frac{Distance}{Speed}\] 

Time is taken \[ Time = \frac{Distance}{Speed}\]

Time is taken by the biker = 1.31 hr

A car person travels a car at a speed of 50 km per hour. How far can he cover in 2.5 hours?

The equation for calculating distance traveled by car, given speed and time, is 

Distance = Speed/Time

Substituting the values, we get

Hence, a car can travel 125 km in 2.5 hours.

If a boy travels at a speed of 40 miles per hour. At the same speed, how long will he take to cover the distance of 160 miles?

The formula to calculate time, when speed and distance are given is:

Time taken by car to cover 160 miles is :

\[ Time = \frac{160}{40}\]

T = 4 hours

Hence, a boy will take 4 hours to cover a distance of 160 miles at a speed of 40 miles per hour.

Two boys are running from the same place at a speed of 7 km/ hr and 5 km/hr. Find the distances between them after 20 minutes respectively if they move in the same direction.

When boys run in the same direction, 

Their relative speed = ( 7 - 5) km/ hr = 2 km/ hr.

Time is taken by boys = 20 minutes

Distance covered = Speed × Time

\[ = 20 * \frac{20}{60}\]

Hence D = 6.6 km

From this discussion, we have concluded that,

If two moving bodies are moving at the same speed, the distance traveled by them is directly proportional to the time of travel i.e when speed is constant.

If two moving bodies move for the same time, the distance traveled by them is directly proportional to the time of travel i.e when time is constant.

If two moving bodies are moving at the same distance, their travel of time is inversely proportional to speed i.e when the distance is constant.

FAQs on Formula of Speed Time and Travelled Distance

1. Who discovered the speed formula?

Galileo Galilei (Italian Physicist) is credited with being the first to measure the speed of a moving object concerning the time taken and distance covered. He defined speed as the distance covered by an object or person per unit of time.

2. What is known as instantaneous speed?

Instantaneous speed is the speed of a moving object at a specific point in time. For example, a car is presently travelling at 60 km/hr, but it may speed up or slow down in the next couple of hours.

3. What is the difference between speed and average speed?

The average speed of something is calculated by dividing the total distance travelled by the total time it took to travel that distance. The definition of speed is the rate at which anything is moving at any given time. Average speed refers to the pace at which a vehicle travels over the course of a journey.

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Related Tools

• Average speed calculator
• Travel distance calculator
• Convert speed into different units
• Convert distance into different units
• Convert time duration into different units

This calculator will estimate the travel time for a journey using the travel distance to destination and the expected average speed of the method of travel.

Once a distance and speed have been entered the calculated time will be displayed in the answer box. Also a conversion scale will be generated for different values of distance versus time at the same speed.

This tool estimates the journey time with the following formula:

• d = Distance

Distance Travelled

Enter the expected distance to be travelled in any units.

Average Speed

Enter the estimated average speed of the intended method of transport.

Time Estimate

This is an estimate of the total time it will take to complete the journey without any delays.

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How to Calculate Speed, Distance & Time

Working out speed, distance and time is an important part of many roles, including those in the armed forces or transport industries.

If you are applying for a role in these industries, you may be tested on this as part of your recruitment process. The questions will allow your employer to test your applied mathematical abilities.

How to calculate speed, distance & time: the formula triangle you’ll need?

To work out speed, divide the distance of the journey by the time it took to travel, so speed = distance divided by time. To calculate time, divide the distance by speed. To get the distance, multiply the speed by time.

You may see these equations simplified as s=d/t, where s is speed, d is distance, and t is time.

This formula can be arranged into the triangle above. In the triangle, speed and time form the base, as they are what is multiplied together to work out the distance.

The triangle is an easy way to remember the formula and can save you time when working out your exam questions. The triangle will help you remember the three formulas:

• The formula of speed is Speed = Distance ÷ Time
• The formula of time is Time = Distance ÷ Speed
• The formula of distance is Distance = Speed x Time

The triangle shows you what calculation you should use. As distance is at the top of the triangle, to work it out, you need to multiply speed with time.

As speed and time are at the bottom of the triangle, you need to divide this number from the figure for distance, to work out the correct answer.

When beginning to study for your practice test, make sure you write out the triangle on your paper. This will help you to memorize it.

How to calculate speed

To calculate speed, you need to divide the distance by the time. You can work this out by using the triangle. If you cover up speed, you are left with distance over time.

Here is an example:

If a driver has travelled 180 miles and it took them 3 hours to make that distance, then to work out their speed you would take:

180 miles / 3 hours -\> 180 / 3 = 60

So the driver’s speed would be 60mph.

How to calculate distance

To work out the distance travelled, you will need to multiply speed and time.

If a driver travelled at 100mph for 4 hours, then to work out the distance you will need to multiply the speed with the time.

100mph x 4 hours -\> 100 x 4 = 400

The distance is 400 miles.

How to calculate the time

To work out the time that the journey took, you will need to know the speed of the journey and the distance that was travelled.

If the driver travelled 50 miles at 5mph, then to work out the time taken you would divide:

50miles / 5 miles per hour -\> 50 / 5 = 10

The time taken to travel this distance is 10 miles per hour.

Three example speed/distance/time questions

• Andy drives his lorry for 400 miles, which takes him 8 hours. Harry drives 200 miles, which takes him 4.5 hours. Who is travelling faster?

Answer: Andy is driving at 50mph, and Harry is driving at 44.44mph. So, Andy is driving faster.

• Tessa runs a 5km race with her running club every Saturday. She runs this in 40 minutes. If she maintains the same speed, how long would it take her to run the 8km race?

Answer: Her speed is 7.5kph. If she runs 10km at 7.5kph, to work out the time, you need to divide 8 by 7.5, which equals 1.066. If we convert this into hours and minutes, it will take her 1 hour and 4 minutes to run 8km.

• Hannah goes on a cycling trip. In the first half of the journey, she travels at 10mph for 2 hours. In the second half, she travels at 20mph for 90 minutes. How far does she travel in total?

Answer: In the first half of her journey she travels 20 miles (10 x 2 = 20). In the second half, she travels 30 miles, (20 x 1.5 = 30). 20+30 =50, so she travels 50 miles in total.

Methods to get better at these questions

To improve your skill in answering speed distance time questions, there are two main things you can do.

First, make sure that you are familiar with the formula triangle. The key to answering these questions is knowing the formula inside out, so that you always know what equation to use, whether the exam question is asking you to work out speed or distance.

By making sure you have memorized the formula in all its variations, you will save yourself time when answering questions.

Secondly, you should focus on improving your general mathematical skills. You may get a compound question, which asks you to use the formula in conjunction with other maths skills to work out the answer to the problem.

You can try a few maths practice tests, such as these , which will help you to practise your basic numeracy skills.

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Travel Time Calculator

Introduction.

In the fast-paced world of travel and transportation, optimizing the time spent on journeys is essential. The Travel Time Calculator emerges as a handy tool, offering a swift solution to estimate travel durations. Whether planning a road trip, commuting, or scheduling flights, this calculator proves invaluable for individuals seeking accurate and efficient travel time predictions.

The Travel Time Calculator relies on a simple formula to determine the duration of a journey. The formula is expressed as:

Travel Time=Distance Speed Travel Time = Speed Distance ​

Here, the distance represents the length of the journey, and the speed denotes the average speed at which the travel occurs. The result is the estimated time required to cover the specified distance.

How to Use?

Utilizing the Travel Time Calculator is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to obtain quick and accurate travel time estimates:

• Enter Distance : Input the distance of your journey. This could be in miles, kilometers, or any other relevant unit.
• Specify Average Speed : Enter the average speed at which you anticipate traveling. This speed should reflect the overall pace of your journey, considering factors such as speed limits and road conditions.
• Click Calculate or Submit : Most calculators feature a button to initiate the computation. Clicking this button will generate the estimated travel time based on the provided distance and speed.
• Review the Output : The calculator will display the estimated travel time, allowing you to plan your schedule with precision.

Consider a road trip covering a distance of 300 miles, with an anticipated average speed of 60 miles per hour. Using the Travel Time Calculator, the estimated travel time would be calculated as follows:

Travel Time=300 miles60 mph=5 hours  Travel Time = 60 mph 300 miles ​ = 5 hours

Q: Can the Travel Time Calculator account for variations in speed during a journey? A: The calculator provides an average travel time based on the entered average speed. For more detailed calculations, consider segmenting the journey into different legs with varying speeds.

Q: Is the Travel Time Calculator suitable for air travel? A: While the calculator primarily focuses on ground travel, it can provide rough estimates for air travel based on the average speed of the flight.

Q: Does the calculator consider factors like traffic and stops? A: The Travel Time Calculator offers a basic estimate and may not account for variables like traffic, stops, or delays. It’s advisable to use it as a planning tool and adjust for real-time conditions.

Conclusion:

The Travel Time Calculator is a valuable companion for anyone planning journeys, whether for business or leisure. By providing quick and reliable estimates, it facilitates effective time management and helps individuals make informed decisions about their travel schedules. Embracing this calculator empowers travelers to plan their trips with confidence, ensuring they reach their destinations on time and with minimal hassle.

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Iran missile and drone attack on Israel – what we know so far

Israel’s military has reported minor damage after Iran launched dozens of drones and missiles towards it late on Saturday

• Iran attack on Israel – live updates
• Full report: Iran launches drones and cruise missiles against Israel

Iran launched hundreds of drones as well as cruise missiles towards Israel , in the Islamic Republic’s first ever direct attack on the Jewish state, in response to the 1 April strike on an Iranian diplomatic building in the Syrian capital, Damascus, which killed a senior figure in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards and eight other officers.

Benny Gantz, a member of the war cabinet, said that Israel will exact a price from Iran in response to its mass missile and drone attack when the time is right. His comments came ahead of a war cabinet meeting alongside Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the country’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant.

Tehran has warned it will strike again with greater force if Israel or the US retaliate for the Iranian strike on Israel by more 300 drones and missiles on Saturday night. The air raids , the Islamic Republic’s first ever direct attack on the Israeli state, brought a years-long shadow war into the open and threatened to draw the region into a broader conflagration as Israel said it was considering its response.

However, the attack, mostly launched from inside Iran, caused only modest damage in Israel as most were shot down with the help of the US, Britain and Jordan. An air force base in southern Israel was hit, but continued to operate as normal and a seven-year-old child was seriously hurt by shrapnel. There were no other reports of serious damage. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said that 99% of the launches had been intercepted.

Most of the Iranian drones flying over Syria’s airspace during Tehran’s strikes overnight were downed by Israeli and US jets before reaching their targets in Israel, two western intelligence sources told Reuters .

The UN security council will hold an emergency meeting on Sunday at the request of Israel’s ambassador to the UN, the council’s president said in a statement.

Iran informed Turkey in advance of its planned operation against Israel, a Turkish diplomatic source has told Reuters . The source also said that the US conveyed to Iran via Ankara that its operation must be “within certain limits”. These reports come after Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian , said in a meeting with foreign ambassadors in Tehran that Iran had informed the US that its attacks against Israel will be “limited” and for self-defence only.

John Kirby, the White House’s top national security spokesperson, told ABC’s This Week programme on Sunday that the US will continue to help Israel defend itself, but does not want war with Iran. “We don’t seek escalated tensions in the region. We don’t seek a wider conflict,” Kirby said. News outlet Axios reported that Joe Biden , the US president, had told Netanyahu that he would oppose an Israeli counterattack against Iran and that the prime minister should “take the win”.

UK Royal Air Force fighter jets and refuelling aircraft were also involved in Israel’s defence, taking off from bases in Cyprus. Their role, according to the UK Ministry of Defence, was to fill in for the US air force in the sorties against Islamic State normally carried out over Iraq and north-eastern Syria, but also to intercept Iranian drones if they came into the UK area of operations.

World leaders have condemned Iran’s attack, with regional powers including Saudi Arabia and Egypt calling for restraint. The UN secretary general, António Guterres, said: “I am deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation. I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East.”

Jordan’s prime minister, Bisher Khasawneh , warned that any escalation in the region would lead to “dangerous paths”, joining a chorus of condemnation from world leaders to the attack. Other countries including the UK, Spain, the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and China, have called for restraint amid fears of a regional escalation of conflict across the Middle East. Iran’s foreign ministry has summoned the ambassadors of the UK , France , and Germany to question what it referred to as their “irresponsible stance” regarding Tehran’s retaliatory strikes on Israel, the semi-official Iranian Labour news agency reported .

Major airlines across the Middle East, including Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways , announced they would resume some of their operations in the region after cancelling or rerouting some flights in response to Iran’s attack on Israel. Israel said it had reopened its airspace as of 7:30am local time on Sunday morning, with Beirut airport also reopening this morning. Several Iranian airports, including Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International, however, have cancelled flights until Monday.

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Where is the Lyrid meteor shower visible? What to know and how to see it in Tennessee

Nashville didn't experience the solar eclipse in its totality , but another celestial event is set to happen in just a few days. This time, its visibility won't depend on your location.

The Lyrids meteor shower, one of the oldest known meteor showers, occurs during late April and can be seen around the world. According to NASA , the Lyrids are known for their fast and bright meteors, the meteors travel at a speed of 29 miles per second.

"In general, 10-20 Lyrid meteors can be seen per hour during their peak," said NASA. "Lyrids don’t tend to leave long, glowing dust trains behind them as they streak through the Earth's atmosphere, but they can produce the occasional bright flash called a fireball."

The meteor shower begins on April 15 and concludes on April 29, according to Earthsky.org , however their peak can be enjoyed between April 21 and April 22.

William Teets, director at the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, said Lyrid meteors appear to radiate from a point in the constellation Lyra, near the very bright star Vega. Since the Lyra constellation isn’t too far north or south, the Lyrids are visible during the nighttime hours for most of the globe.

Here's what else to know about the upcoming meteor shower.

What time will the Lyrids meteor shower be visible?

According to NASA, the Lyrids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere, the northern half of the Earth. After moonset and before dawn will be the best time to view the meteor shower.

"You’ll have your best chance of seeing Lyrids just before the glow of dawn begins to show because the radiant will be high above us and the Moon will be on its way to setting," said Teets.

For Tennesseans, peak viewing time would be around 4 a.m. to 5 a.m., said Teets.

More reasons to look up: With the 2024 eclipse over, when is the next celestial event?

How to best observe the Lyrids meteor shower?

According to Earthsky.org , a waxing gibbous moon will interfere with the Lyrids meteor shower. On April 22, the moon will be 50% illuminated, not yet a full moon.

"Unfortunately, the Moon is near full during the peak of the Lyrids this year, which means that it will not only be at its brightest to wash out meteors but it will also be up all night," said Teets.

However, that doesn't mean the meteor shower viewing experience will be hindered. Earthsky.org recommends avoiding city lights, locating a moon shadow and making your shower viewing experience as comfortable as possible with blankets, a lawn chair and comfortable clothing.

"Ensconced within a moon shadow, and far from the glow of city lights, the night all of a sudden darkens and can help you see more meteors," said Earthsky.org. "You can’t run from the moon, but you can sure hide from it."

Where do the Lyrid meteors come from?

Meteors come from leftover comet particles and broken asteroid bits. When comets come around the sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them, said NASA. The Earth passes through the debris trails annually which allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery, colorful streaks in the sky.

The pieces of space debris that interact with the Earth's atmosphere to create the Lyrids, originate from comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher. The comet was discovered on April 5, 1861, by A. E. Thatcher.

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter at @_leyvadiana