Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · Physics
Course version: 1PH0 · Version from Sept 2016
Recall some typical speeds encountered in everyday experience for wind and…
Full specification wording
Topic 2 – Motion and forces: 2.12 Recall some typical speeds encountered in everyday experience for wind and sound, and for walking, running, cycling and other transportation systems
Everyday speeds vary enormously, and recalling rough values helps you judge whether a calculated answer is sensible.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1PH0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 12 of 32
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Everyday speeds vary enormously, and recalling rough values helps you judge whether a calculated answer is sensible. Walking is around 1.5 m/s, running around 3 m/s to 5 m/s, and cycling around 5 m/s to 8 m/s. Sound travels through air at about 330 m/s to 340 m/s, far faster than any everyday vehicle. Wind speeds range from a gentle breeze of a few metres per second to gale-force winds of around 20 m/s or more. Road vehicles typically travel at 10 m/s to 30 m/s, trains can reach 50 m/s or more, and aircraft cruise at around 250 m/s. Use these values as order-of-magnitude checks rather than exact figures, and convert between m/s and km/h by multiplying or dividing by 3.6.
What earns the marks
- Recalls that walking speed is roughly 1.5 m/s.
- Recalls that running speed is roughly 3 m/s to 5 m/s and cycling roughly 5 m/s to 8 m/s.
- States that sound travels in air at about 330 m/s to 340 m/s.
- Gives typical wind speeds ranging from a few m/s to around 20 m/s for strong winds.
- Quotes typical road vehicle speeds of about 10 m/s to 30 m/s and aircraft cruising near 250 m/s.
- Converts between m/s and km/h using the factor 3.6.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Quotes sound speed as about 3 m/s, confusing it with walking pace.
Put it right: Sound in air is about 330 m/s to 340 m/s.
Treats these typical values as exact constants.
Put it right: Use them as order-of-magnitude estimates.
Multiplies by 3.6 when converting km/h to m/s.
Put it right: Divide by 3.6 for that direction.
Exam tips
- Learn a small table of typical speeds and use it to sanity-check calculated answers.
- Remember 3.6 as the conversion factor between m/s and km/h and check the direction.
- If an answer seems wildly different from a typical value, recheck the calculation.
Try the lesson
The start of the Topic 2 – Motion and forces: 2.12 Recall some typical speeds encountered in everyday experience for wind and sound, and for walking, running, cycling and other transportation systems lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which value is the best estimate of the typical speed of a strong wind in a storm?
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