Physics Review Question

Unit: Mechanics
Year: 1998 Question#: 5
Question: A person travels 4 meters North,6 meters West, and 4 m South. What is the total displacement?
(1 ) 14 m East.
(2) 6 m West
(3 ) 4 m South
(4 ) 4 m north

What is this question really asking?




Explanation by: John D (no last names)

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Answer 1
14 meters East

INCORRECT

Answer one is incorrect because first of all the path of the line never goes east and displacement is the distance and direction between two points not the amount of distance the total path covers. return to top























Answer 2
6 meters West

CORRECT
Answer 2 is correct because Displacement is the distance and direction between two points not the path traveld to get there. So the answer is 6 meters West because the path goes North 4 m, West 6m and then South 4m.
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Answer 3
4 meters South

INCORRECT

Answer 3 is icorrect because the distance and direction between the two points is in the westward direction not south. The two points are also aon the same level as each other. return to top


























Answer 4
4 meters North

INCORRECT

Answer 4 is incorrect because the distance and direction between the two points are both wrong. Again displacement is both the direction and distance between two points. return to top


























What's this question really asking?

The question is really asking what the distance and direction between two points are , that is the definition of displacement return to top

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