Which statement correctly defines velocity?

• A. Velocity is the total distance traveled per unit time.
• B. Velocity is the same as speed but with direction not important.
• C. Velocity measures how much time passes.
• D. Velocity is speed in a specific direction.

Answer: (D)

Velocity is speed in a specific direction. It’s a vector quantity, meaning it includes both how fast something is moving and where it is headed. This combination—magnitude (speed) plus direction—is what velocity conveys. The other ideas mix up the concepts: total distance per unit time describes speed, not velocity; treating velocity as the same as speed with no regard to direction ignores that directional component; measuring how much time passes is about time, not motion. For example, a car moving 20 m/s to the east has a velocity of 20 m/s east, while its speed is simply 20 m/s.