Can You Pass The Distance And Displacement Test?

1. A girl leaves a history classroom and walks 10. meters north to a drinking fountain. Then she turns and walks 30. meters south to an art classroom. What is the girl's total displacement from the history classroom to the art classroom?

40 m north

20 m north

20 m south

40 m south

The girl starts by walking 10 meters north and then turns and walks 30 meters south. Displacement is the shortest distance between the starting and ending points, regardless of the path taken. In this case, the girl's starting point is the history classroom, and her ending point is the art classroom. Since she walks 30 meters south after walking 10 meters north, the total displacement from the history classroom to the art classroom is 20 meters south.

Explanation

The girl starts by walking 10 meters north and then turns and walks 30 meters south. Displacement is the shortest distance between the starting and ending points, regardless of the path taken. In this case, the girl's starting point is the history classroom, and her ending point is the art classroom. Since she walks 30 meters south after walking 10 meters north, the total displacement from the history classroom to the art classroom is 20 meters south.

2. What is the total displacement of a student who walks 3 blocks east, 2 blocks north, 1 block west, and then 2 blocks south?

8 blocks

0

2 blocks east

2 block west

The total displacement of the student can be found by subtracting the distance traveled west (1 block) from the distance traveled east (3 blocks). Since the student walked 3 blocks east and 1 block west, the net displacement in the east direction is 2 blocks. Therefore, the correct answer is 2 blocks east.

Explanation

The total displacement of the student can be found by subtracting the distance traveled west (1 block) from the distance traveled east (3 blocks). Since the student walked 3 blocks east and 1 block west, the net displacement in the east direction is 2 blocks. Therefore, the correct answer is 2 blocks east.

3. Which two terms represent a vector quantity and the scalar quantity of the vector's magnitude, respectively?

Weight and force

Speed and time

Displacement and distance

Acceleration and velocity

Displacement and distance are the two terms that represent a vector quantity and the scalar quantity of the vector's magnitude, respectively. Displacement refers to the change in position of an object in a particular direction, making it a vector quantity. On the other hand, distance simply refers to the total length covered by an object, irrespective of direction, making it a scalar quantity. Therefore, displacement represents the vector quantity, while distance represents the scalar quantity of the vector's magnitude.

Explanation

Displacement and distance are the two terms that represent a vector quantity and the scalar quantity of the vector's magnitude, respectively. Displacement refers to the change in position of an object in a particular direction, making it a vector quantity. On the other hand, distance simply refers to the total length covered by an object, irrespective of direction, making it a scalar quantity. Therefore, displacement represents the vector quantity, while distance represents the scalar quantity of the vector's magnitude.

4. What is the total displacement of a student who walks 3 blocks east, 2 blocks north, 1 block west, and then 2 blocks south?

8 blocks

0

2 blocks west

2 blocks east

The total displacement of the student can be determined by subtracting the total distance traveled west (1 block) from the total distance traveled east (3 blocks). In this case, the student walked 3 blocks east and 1 block west, resulting in a net displacement of 2 blocks east.

Explanation

The total displacement of the student can be determined by subtracting the total distance traveled west (1 block) from the total distance traveled east (3 blocks). In this case, the student walked 3 blocks east and 1 block west, resulting in a net displacement of 2 blocks east.

5. The map shows the route traveled by a school bus. What is the magnitude of the total displacement of the school bus from the start to the end of its trip?

800 m

400m

1800m

500m

The magnitude of the total displacement of the school bus from the start to the end of its trip is 800 m. This means that the school bus traveled a total distance of 800 meters from its starting point to its ending point, regardless of any turns or detours it may have taken along the way.

Explanation

The magnitude of the total displacement of the school bus from the start to the end of its trip is 800 m. This means that the school bus traveled a total distance of 800 meters from its starting point to its ending point, regardless of any turns or detours it may have taken along the way.

6. A softball player leaves the batter's box, overruns first base by 3.0 meters, and then returns to first base. Compared to the total distance traveled by the player, the magnitude of the player's total displacement from the batter's box is

Smaller

Can't be determined

The same

Larger

The player's total distance traveled is the sum of the distance from the batter's box to first base (3.0 meters) and the distance from first base back to the batter's box. Since the player returns to the batter's box, the distance from first base back to the batter's box is the same as the distance from the batter's box to first base. Therefore, the total distance traveled is twice the distance from the batter's box to first base. Since the player overruns first base by 3.0 meters, the magnitude of the player's total displacement from the batter's box is smaller than the total distance traveled.

Explanation

The player's total distance traveled is the sum of the distance from the batter's box to first base (3.0 meters) and the distance from first base back to the batter's box. Since the player returns to the batter's box, the distance from first base back to the batter's box is the same as the distance from the batter's box to first base. Therefore, the total distance traveled is twice the distance from the batter's box to first base. Since the player overruns first base by 3.0 meters, the magnitude of the player's total displacement from the batter's box is smaller than the total distance traveled.

7. A student on her way to school walks four blocks east, three blocks north, and another four blocks east, as shown in the diagram. Compared to the distance she walks, the magnitude of her displacement from home to school is

Less

Greater

The same

Can't be determined

The student walks four blocks east, three blocks north, and then four blocks east again. This forms a triangle with two sides of length four and one side of length three. The magnitude of her displacement is the straight-line distance from her starting point to her ending point, which is the length of the longest side of the triangle. In this case, the longest side is four blocks, so the magnitude of her displacement is less than the distance she walks.

Explanation

The student walks four blocks east, three blocks north, and then four blocks east again. This forms a triangle with two sides of length four and one side of length three. The magnitude of her displacement is the straight-line distance from her starting point to her ending point, which is the length of the longest side of the triangle. In this case, the longest side is four blocks, so the magnitude of her displacement is less than the distance she walks.