Question

"Average velocity and speed with direction changes:

As shown in the figure below, Louisa rushes 40 m toward her truck. She notices she forgot her bag and returns back to the house. Her total travel time is 120 s.
40 m
40 m
What is Louisa's average velocity over the 120 s period?

A) 0 m/s
B) 0.5 m/s
C) 1 m/s
D) 2 m/s

Answer 1

Louisa's average velocity over the 120 s period she spends moving 40 m toward her truck and then 40 m back to her house is 0 m/s, as her total displacement is 0 m.

So, the correct answer is A.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine Louisa's average velocity over the 120 s period, we need to consider the total displacement and the total time. The average velocity is defined as the displacement divided by time.

In Louisa's case, she moves 40 m toward her truck and then returns 40 m back to the house, making her net displacement 0 m.

Since her total travel time is 120 s, her average velocity would be 0 m / 120 s, which is 0 m/s.

Therefore, the answer is A) 0 m/s.