180k views
0 votes
8. An ant on a picnic table travels 30 cm eastward, then 25 cm northward, and finally 15 cm westward. What is the ant's displacement, angle, and direction

relative to its original position?

User Philnash
by
4.4k points

1 Answer

4 votes

Answer:

The displacement of the ant, R = 29.15 cm

The angle of the resultant displacement with its original position is, θ = 30° 57'

The direction of the displacement is towards the northeast.

Step-by-step explanation:

Given data,

The displacement towards east, d₁ = 30 cm

The displacement towards north, d₂ = 25 cm

The displacement towards west, d₃ = 15 cm

The total displacement towards east,

d₄ = d₁ - d₃

= 30 - 15

= 15 cm

The total displacement of ant is given by the resultant displacement,

R = √(d₂² + d₄² + 2· d₂ d₄ CosФ)

Where Ф is the angle between the vectors, d₂ & d₄

Ф = 90°

Therefore,

R = √(d₂² + d₄²)

Substituting in the above equation,

R = √(25² + 15²)

= 29.15 cm

Hence, the displacement of the ant, R = 29.15 cm

The angle of the resultant displacement with its original position is,

θ = tan⁻¹ (d₄ / d₂)

= tan⁻¹ (15 / 25)

= tan⁻¹ 0.6

= 30° 57'

Hence, the angle of the resultant displacement the its original position is, θ = 30° 57'

The direction of the displacement is towards the northeast.

User Isabella Engineer
by
5.0k points