Distance and Displacement

You run home from school during lunch because you forgot to pack one. You travel 2 km north and then realize that you forgot your key so you head back to school to get it. Then you travel the 3 km back to your house, eat lunch, and make it back to school in time for 4^th period. What was your total distance traveled? What was your displacement?

• Distance: 10 km, Displacement 0 km

• Distance 8 km, Displacement 0 km

• Distance 10 km, Displacement 3 km N

• Distance 8 km, Displacement 8 km N

You have spun around in a circle and are very dizzy. You are trying to reach your locker. You travel 2 meters north, then 1.5 meters west, then another 4 meters north before reaching your locker. What was your total distance traveled? What was your displacement?

• Distance 6.2 m, Displacement 0

• Distance 6m, Displacement 6.2 m NW

• Distance 7.5 m, Displacement 1.5 W

• Distance 7.5 m, Displacement 6.2 m NW

Mr. Hill is teaching his daughter to ride a unicycle. As a physics teacher he decides to track her progress. She travels 40 meters North, then 25 meters East, and finally 71 meters South. What distance did she travel? What was her displacement?

• Distance 136 m, Displacement 113.8 m NE

• Distance 136 m, Displacement 39.8 m SE

• Distance 136 m, Displacement 0

• Distance 26 m, Displacement 39.8 m SE

A whale swims due east for a distance of 6.9 km, turns around and goes due west for 1.8 km, and finally turns around again and heads 3.7 km due east. What is the total distance traveled by the whale? What is the displacement of the whale?

• Distance 12.4 m, Displacement 0

• Distance 12.4 m, Displacement 12.4 m E

• Distance 12.4 m, Displacement 8.8 m E

• Distance 8.8 m, Displacement 0

A student lives 3 km North of the school. They start to walk to school for the day and get 2/3 of the way when they realize they forgot their Physics homework (a tragedy). So they walk back to get it and then make it all the way back to school. What distance did they travel and what was their displacement?

• Distance 7 m, Displacement 3 m S

• Distance 7 m, Displacement 0

• Distance 9 m, Displacement 0

• Distance 9 m, Displacement 3 m S

Two runners race each other around a circular track. The track is 400 meters long and 110 m across (the diameter of the oval). Runner A trips at the half-way mark and doesn’t get up. Runner B finishes the race.

Which runner has the greater displacement?

Which ran the greatest distance?

• Displacement B, Distance A

• Displacement A, Distance B

• They are the same

Starting at -7m a person walks in the negative direction for 8 m then turns around and walks 20m in the positive direction. Where is his final position? What was his overall displacement? How much distance did he travel?

• Position +20, Displacement 0, Distance 35 m

• Position 0, Displacement 0, Distance 0

• Position +5, Displacement + 12 m, Distance 28 m

• Position +5, Displacement 0, Distance 20 m

A football coach paces back and forth along the sidelines- the coach moves from position A to B to C to D. What is his distance covered and displacement?

• Distance 95 yds, Displacement - 55 yds

• Distance 55 yds, Displacement 0

• Distance 95 yds, Displacement 55 yds

• Distance 55 yds, Displacement -55 yds

Scott travels north 5 miles and then goes west 3 miles before coming straight back south 2 miles. What is his DISTANCE?

• 10 mi

• 7 mi

• 8 mi

• 6 mi

Distance and direction of an object's change in position from a starting point (HINT: Direct path from starting point to end point)

• displacement

• distance

• motion

• reference point