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Can the velocity of a body ever be greater than its speed?

Speed is the ratio of distance traveled and the time it takes to complete the motion. In other words,


speed = distance / time


Velocity is the ratio of displacement and the time it takes to complete the motion. In other words,


velocity = displacement / time


When we compare the magnitudes of speed and velocity, we are actually comparing the distance traveled by a body to its displacement. Distance traveled is the measure of the path traveled by the body, while displacement is the difference between the initial and final positions (and is independent of the path taken by the body).


The displacement of a body is always less than or equal to the distance traveled by it. This means that the velocity of a body can be either equal to or less than the speed of the body for a given motion.


In other words, velocity `<=` speed and hence can never be more than the speed.


Hope this helps.

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