230k views
1 vote
An object starts at 0 position, moves to +16 m east and then 10 m to the west in 5 s.

a) What total distance did it travel?
b) What was its total displacement?
c) What was its average velocity for the entire trip?

User Bitcycle
by
6.8k points

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

a) The total distance traveled is 42 m. b) The total displacement is +16 m east. c) The average velocity for the entire trip is +3.2 m/s east.

Step-by-step explanation:

a) To find the total distance traveled, we add up the magnitudes of all the individual displacements. Starting at 0 position, the object travels +16 m east, then 10 m west, and finally 16 m east again. 16 + 10 + 16 = 42 m.

b) The total displacement is the straight-line distance from the initial position to the final position. It is the difference between the initial and final positions, taking into account the direction. The object starts at 0 position and ends at +16 m east, so the displacement is +16 m east.

c) The average velocity is the total displacement divided by the total time. In this case, the object's total displacement is +16 m east. The total time is 5 s. So, the average velocity is +16 m east / 5 s = +3.2 m/s east.

User Alextunyk
by
7.2k points