11.1 Distance and Displacement

A car is driving down the highway. From which frame of reference does it appear to not be moving?

• standing at the side of the road

• a car driving at the same speed but going the opposite direction

• sitting inside the car

• an airplane flying overhead

The SI unit for distance that would be most appropriate for measuring the distance between two cities is:

• meter

• kilometer

• centimeter

• mile

If you walk across town, taking many turns, your displacement is the:

• total distance that you traveled.

• length and direction of a straight line from your starting point to your ending point.

• length in a straight line from your starting point to your ending point.

• direction from your starting point to your ending point.

You travel 30 km west of your home and then turn around and start going back home. After traveling 10 km east, what is your displacement from your home?

• 20 km

• 20 km West

• 40 km

• 40 km West

What must you know to describe the motion of an object? (2 possible answers from textbook)

• frame of reference

• how fast (speed) and velocity

• direction and how fast (speed)

• relative motion and frame of reference

TRUE or FALSE: A frame of reference is not necessary to describe motion accurately and completely.

• TRUE

• FALSE

TRUE or FALSE: Five blocks south is an example of displacement.

• TRUE

• FALSE

What would your total displacement be if you walked from your front door, around the block, and then stopped when you reached your front door again?

• zero

• one block

• two blocks

• the entire distance of your trip

A VECTOR is any quantity with both ________ and ________ .

• magnitude, direction

• magnitude, speed

• direction, displacement

• crime fighting ability, super cool costumes

To combine two displacement that are in OPPOSITE directions, the magnitudes _____________ one another.

• subtract from

• add to

• multiply

• divide