Question

An object moves 15.0 m north and then 11.0 m south. Find both the distance traveled and the magnitude of the displacement vector.

Answer 1

Answer:

Distance = 26.0m Displacement = 4.0m

Explanation:

Distance specifies only how far an object has traveled while displacement is the distance traveled in a specified direction.

Total distance traveled by the object will be distance travelled through north + distance travelled through south i.e 15.0m + 11.0m = 26.0m

Displacement is gotten by using the Pythagoras theorem. Since the object traveled in the same vertical direction (15.0m through north which is upward i.e positive y direction and 11.0m through south i.e in the negative y direction), the displacement will be 15.0m - 11.0m = 4.0m