Suppose that an object travels from one point in space to another. Make a comparison between the displacement and the distance traveled.
a) the displacement is either greater than or equal to the distance traveled
b)the displacement is always equal to the distance traveled.
c)the displacement is either less than or equal to the distance traveled
d) the displacement can be either greater than, smaller than, or equal to the distance traveled.
the answer would be c) right? Since distance is the total distance over time where as displacement can never be "greater than distance" Is this correct?
c is correct.
Yes, you are correct. The correct answer is c) the displacement is either less than or equal to the distance traveled.
To understand this, let's first define distance and displacement:
- Distance: Distance is the total path traveled by an object. It is a scalar quantity and is always positive. Distance is a measure of the length of the path traveled and does not take into account the direction of motion.
- Displacement: Displacement is a vector quantity that refers to the change in position or the straight-line distance between the initial and final position of an object. It includes both the magnitude (distance) and the direction. Displacement can be positive, negative, or zero.
In most cases, the displacement will be less than or equal to the distance traveled because the displacement considers the straight-line distance between the initial and final positions, while the distance traveled considers the total path length. However, there are some scenarios where the displacement can be equal to the distance traveled, such as when the object moves in a straight line from the initial point to the final point.
So, in summary, the displacement can never be greater than the distance traveled. It will either be less than or equal to it. Therefore, the correct answer is option c).
No, the correct answer is d) the displacement can be either greater than, smaller than, or equal to the distance traveled.
Distance is a scalar quantity that represents the total length covered by an object in its journey, regardless of direction. It is always positive and does not consider the path taken.
Displacement, on the other hand, is a vector quantity that represents the change in position of an object from its initial point to its final point. It takes into account both the magnitude (distance) and the direction of the movement.
When the object travels in a straight line without changing its direction, the displacement and the distance traveled will be the same. However, if the object changes direction during its journey, the displacement and distance traveled will differ. The displacement will be less than or equal to the distance traveled, depending on the path taken.
So, the correct answer is d) the displacement can be either greater than, smaller than, or equal to the distance traveled.