Final answer:
Displacement is the change in position and is calculated by subtracting the initial position from the final position; it's a vector, indicating both magnitude and direction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question involves the concept of displacement in physics. Displacement is indeed calculated as the final position subtracted from the initial position. In this specific example, if the initial position is 0 km and the final position is 36 km, then the displacement would be 36 km - 0 km = 36 km. This indicates a change in position of 36 km in the direction from the initial to the final position.
It's essential to understand that displacement is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. Distance, on the other hand, is a scalar quantity; it only has magnitude and no directional component. Both distance and displacement have the same magnitude if the motion is in a straight line and in one direction, but otherwise, distance will generally be greater as it is the total length of the path traveled without regard for direction.
Units for displacement and distance can vary, and common ones include meters, kilometers, miles, or feet. It’s important to use consistent units when calculating these quantities and to convert them as necessary for proper analysis.