Distance vs Displacement

Jerry walked from home to school, then from the school to the park. What is his total displacement?

• 2 km east

• 5 km

• 8 km

• 2 km

A person walks 50 meters directly north, stops, and then travels 32 meters directly south.  What is their displacement?

• 82 meters

• 18 meters north

• 28 meters north

• 18 meters south

What is the difference between distance and displacement?

Which statement correctly describes a race car's distance traveled and magnitude of displacement during a one-lap car race around an oval track?

• The perimeter of the race track is the distance; the shortest distance between the start line and the finish line is the magnitude of displacement.

• The perimeter of the race track is the magnitude of displacement; the shortest distance between the start and finish line is the distance.

• The perimeter of the race track is both the distance and magnitude of displacement.

• The shortest distance between the start and the finish line is the magnitude of the displacement vector.

A cyclist rides 3 km west and then turns around and rides 2 km east.

What is her displacement?

West is in the negative direction and East in positive direction.

What distance does she ride?

Distance = _____ km

On an axis in which moving from right to left is positive, what is the displacement and distance of a student who walks 32 m to the right and then 17 m to the left?

A billiard ball travels 22 cm in the positive direction, hits the cushion and rebounds in the negative direction, and finally comes to rest 7.5 cm behind its original position.

 

What is the distance covered by the ball?

D = _____ cm

A train on a straight track goes in the positive direction for 5.9 km, and then backs up for 3.8 km.

 

Is the distance covered by the train greater than, less than, or equal to its displacement?

• greater

• less

• equal