Question

A balloon drifts 30 m toward the east in 10 s; then the wind suddenly changes and the balloon flies 50 m toward the west in the next 5 s. a. What distance did it travel during the first 10 s?

Answer 1

The balloon traveled a distance of 30 meters during the first 10 seconds. Distance is a scalar quantity measuring the total movement without considering direction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The distance the balloon traveled during the first 10 seconds is 30 meters toward the east. This is a straightforward question about motion, and in physics, distance is a scalar quantity that only takes into account the magnitude of movement, not the direction.

Regarding the provided information, although the balloon changes direction after the first 10 seconds, this does not affect the distance traveled during the initial 10-second interval. The total distance traveled is only concerned with the sum of the lengths of the paths traveled, irrespective of direction, which is 30 meters for the first leg of the balloon's journey.