Which term means distance traveled per unit time?

• A. Time
• B. Distance
• C. Velocity
• D. Speed

Answer: (D)

The main idea is how fast something moves, i.e., how much distance it covers in a given amount of time. This rate is speed. Speed is measured as distance divided by time (for example, meters per second or kilometers per hour) and it is a scalar, meaning it has magnitude only and no direction. If you include direction, you’re talking about velocity, which combines speed with where you’re headed. Time describes how long the motion lasts, and distance is the total ground covered, not the rate at which it happens. So the term that means distance traveled per unit time is speed.