Question

Suppose that an object travels from one point in space to another. Make a comparison between the magnitude of the displacement and the distance traveled.

A) The displacement is either greater than or equal to the distance traveled.

B) The displacement is always equal to the distance traveled.

C) The displacement is either less than or equal to the distance traveled.

D) The displacement can be either greater than, smaller than, or equal to the distance
traveled.

E) If the displacement is equal to zero, then the distance traveled will also equal zero.

Answer 1

The magnitude of displacement can be smaller than or equal to the distance traveled, but it can never be greater.

Step-by-step explanation:

Distance traveled and magnitude of displacement are two distinct quantities. The distance traveled refers to the total length of the path taken, while magnitude of displacement only considers the size of the displacement, regardless of direction. In most cases, the magnitude of displacement can be smaller than or equal to the distance traveled, but it can never be greater.

For example, if an object moves back and forth repeatedly, covering a distance of 150 m, but ends up only 2.0 m to the right of its starting point, the magnitude of displacement would be 2.0 m, while the distance traveled would be 150 m.

Therefore, based on these differences, the correct answer is C) The displacement is either less than or equal to the distance traveled.