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In physics and the philosophy of science, instant refers to an infinitesimal interval in time, whose passage is instantaneous.In ordinary speech, an instant has been defined as "a point or very short space of time," a notion deriving from its etymological source, the Latin verb instare, from in-+ stare ('to stand'), meaning 'to stand upon or near.' [1]
The instantaneous velocity equation comes from finding the limit as t approaches 0 of the average velocity. The instantaneous velocity shows the position function with respect to time. From the instantaneous velocity the instantaneous speed can be derived by getting the magnitude of the instantaneous velocity.
What can however be experimentally measured is the round-trip speed (or "two-way" speed of light) from the source to a mirror (or other method of reflection) and back again to detector. Albert Einstein chose a synchronization convention (see Einstein synchronization ) that made the one-way speed equal to the two-way speed.
The average speed of an object in an interval of time is the distance travelled by the object divided by the duration of the interval; [2] the instantaneous speed is the limit of the average speed as the duration of the time interval approaches zero. Speed is the magnitude of velocity (a vector), which indicates additionally the direction of ...
The CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics is a comprehensive one-volume reference resource for science research. First published in 1914, it is currently (as of 2024 [update] ) in its 105th edition, published in 2024.
The speed at which light propagates through transparent materials, such as glass or air, is less than c; similarly, the speed of electromagnetic waves in wire cables is slower than c. The ratio between c and the speed v at which light travels in a material is called the refractive index n of the material (n = c / v ).
[17]: 399 If a body is in equilibrium, there is zero net force by definition (balanced forces may be present nevertheless). In contrast, the second law states that if there is an unbalanced force acting on an object it will result in the object's momentum changing over time. [14]
The curve of fastest descent is not a straight or polygonal line (blue) but a cycloid (red).. In physics and mathematics, a brachistochrone curve (from Ancient Greek βράχιστος χρόνος (brákhistos khrónos) 'shortest time'), [1] or curve of fastest descent, is the one lying on the plane between a point A and a lower point B, where B is not directly below A, on which a bead slides ...