How is velocity defined in a physics context?

Velocity is defined in physics as the rate at which an object changes its position in a specific direction. This is quantitatively expressed as displacement divided by the time taken for that displacement to occur. Displacement refers to the straight-line distance from the initial position to the final position, along with a specific direction, making it distinct from total distance, which does not consider direction.

This definition highlights not only how far an object has moved, but also the direction it has moved in, underscoring the vector nature of velocity. It is crucial to differentiate it from speed, which is a scalar quantity that only considers how fast something is moving, without regard to direction. Thus, understanding velocity as displacement over time helps build a solid foundation for further concepts in physics, such as acceleration and motion analysis.