What does speed measure?

Speed is defined as the distance covered by an object in a unit of time. It is a measure of how quickly an object is moving and is typically expressed in units such as meters per second (m/s) or miles per hour (mph).

In basic physics, understanding speed is fundamental because it relates directly to the motion of objects. When speed is calculated, it indicates the rate at which an object travels from one point to another within a specified timeframe, which is crucial in various fields of engineering and science.

The other options presented do not pertain to speed: force refers to the interaction that causes an object to change its state of motion; mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object; and temperature indicates how hot or cold an object is. Each of these concepts relates to different physical properties but does not measure motion or speed directly. Therefore, the option describing speed as the distance covered per unit of time is the accurate choice.