Question

After the next play, the team only needs to move the ball a distance of 10 yards to make a touchdown. When the play happens, the wide receiver end up running a distance of 30 yards, but he still makes a touchdown and his displacement is 10 yards from where he began. How is this possible?

Answer 1

In American football, the distance a player runs during a play does not necessarily determine their displacement on the field. Displacement refers to the change in position from the starting point to the ending point.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this scenario, the wide receiver may have initially run in a direction away from the end zone, but then changed direction and ran towards the end zone, ultimately reaching a point 10 yards away from where he began. The total distance covered during the play (30 yards) is not the same as the displacement (10 yards) because displacement takes into account the change in position, regardless of the path taken.