Distance and displacement – problems and solutions

Solved Problems in Linear MotionDistance and displacement 

1. A car travels along a straight road 100 m east then 50 m west. Find distance and displacement of the car.

SolutionDistance and displacement - problems and solutions 1

Distance is 100 meters + 50 meters = 150 meters

Displacement is 100 meters – 50 meters = 50 meters, to the east.

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2. A person walks 4 meters east, then walks 3 meters north. Determine distance and displacement.

Solution

Distance and displacement - problems and solutions 2

3. A runner travels around rectangle track with length = 50 meters and width = 20 meters. After travels around rectangle track two times, runner back to starting point. Determine distance and displacement.

Solution

Circumference of rectangle = 2(50 meters) + 2(20 meters) = 100 meters + 40 meters = 140 meters.

Travels around rectangle 2 times = 2(140 meters) = 280 meters.

Distance = 280 m.

Displacement = 0 m. (the runner return to the starting point)

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4. Car’s speedometer reads 10,500 km at the start of a trip and 10,700 km at the end. Determine distance and displacement.

Solution

Distance = 10,700 km – 10,500 km = 200 km.

Displacement = 0 km. (car return to the starting point)

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  1. Distance and displacement
  2. Average speed and average velocity
  3. Constant velocity
  4. Constant acceleration
  5. Free fall motion
  6. Down motion in free fall
  7. Up and down motion in free fall

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