Question

what is the distance moved by a particle moving along x axis if it starts from x=-7m goes upto x= -12m turns and stops at x=+34m? also calculate the net displacement

Answer 1

Answer: Trajectory=51m

Displacement=41m

Explanation:

Let's begin by stating clear that movement is the change of position of a body at a certain time. So, during this movement, the body will have a trajectory and a displacement, being both different:

The trajectory is the path followed by the body (is a scalar magnitude).  

The displacement is the distance in a straight line between the initial and final position (is a vector magnitude).  

According to this, in the description of the object placed at x= -7m on a number line and moving some 12m to the left and then to the right, stopping at x=34m; we are talking about the path followed by the object, hence its trajectory. So, 51 m is its trajectory.

But, if we talk about displacement, we have to draw a straight line between the initial position of the object (x=-7m) to its final position (x=+34m).

Now, being this an unidimensional problem, the displacement vector for this object is 41m.