Final answer:
The total distance traveled is the sum of the distances from A to B and B to C, whereas displacement is the straight-line distance from A directly to C. So, the correct option is D) Distance from A directly to C
Step-by-step explanation:
The total distance traveled by a particle is the sum of all distances covered along its path, irrespective of the direction of motion.
Distance traveled includes every single movement made by the particle from the starting point to the end, without considering the displacement. Displacement, on the other hand, is a vector quantity that only considers the shortest path from the initial to the final position and is dependent on the direction.
For a particle moving from point A to B, then to C, the total distance traveled would be the sum of the distance from A to B plus the distance from B to C.
If you were asked to find the total displacement, you would measure the straight-line distance from the initial point A directly to the final point C. It's important to understand that displacement could be less than the distance traveled if the path is not a straight line.
Therefore, the correct option is D) Distance from A directly to C