Speed Notes & Questions | Class 5 Environmental Studies (EVS) | Drishti OS

Speed

That speed tells how fast an object covers distance — distance per unit time.
To use the formula speed = distance ÷ time with correct units.
To compare speeds: more distance in the same time means faster motion.
To apply measurement ideas from NCERT Looking Around 5, Chapter 9 (Up You Go!) and Math-Magic 5 distance problems.

Verbal: Speed measures how much distance is travelled in each unit of time.

Symbolic: Speed = Distance ÷ Time; v = d/t

Real-life: A school bus covers 30 km in 1 hour → speed = 30 km/h. A sprinter runs 100 m in 20 s → 100 ÷ 20 = 5 m/s.

Verbal: Uniform speed means equal distances in equal time intervals — steady pace.

Symbolic: Compare: Runner A — 10 m in 2 s → 5 m/s; Runner B — 20 m in 5 s → 4 m/s → A is faster.

NCERT link: Looking Around 5, Ch 9 — climbers cover different distances in same rest period; compare who moved faster.

Cyclist travels 15 km in 1 hour. Find speed.

Step 1 — d = 15 km, t = 1 h
Step 2 — v = 15 ÷ 1 = 15 km/h
Answer: 15 km/h

Who is faster: 10 m in 2 s or 20 m in 5 s?

Step 1 — A: 10/2 = 5 m/s
Step 2 — B: 20/5 = 4 m/s
Step 3 — 5 > 4 → first runner is faster
Answer: 10 m in 2 s

Mistake	Why it happens	Fix
v = t/d	Formula inverted	Distance on top, time below
Mixing km and m without converting	Unit mismatch	Convert to one system before dividing
Confusing speed with force	Both relate to motion	Speed = how fast; force = push/pull cause
km/h vs m/s treated as equal	Different unit sizes	1 m/s = 3.6 km/h (Class 5: compare in same unit)

Revision tip: Time yourself walking 100 m with a stopwatch. Calculate your speed in m/s — then compare with a family member.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Speed.