Question

A body is first displaced by 5m and then by 12m in different directions. The minimum displacement

Answer 1

Answer:

Displacement is a vector quantity whereas distance traveled is a scalar quanty.So,for a person starting his travel from a point(p) and coming back to same point(p) after his travel is said to have travelled some distance but his displacement is zero since the initio and the end is same .

Coming to the question, there is change in direction after travelling 5 m .Assuming the change in direction is at 90°.So,we find right angled triangle is formed for his travel, when we connect initio and end point and that hypotenous is displacement made by him.

h²=p²+b²=5²+12²=169

h=13 m i.e. his displacement.

Answer 2

Answer 7m

Explanation

Let first displacement p = 5 m , Second displacement q = 12 m ,

So for minimum displacement, displacement should in same direction. We have two conditions,

1 stbcondition, Net displacement ∣ p+q ∣= ∣5+12∣=17

2nd condition , Net displacement ∣p+q∣= ∣5−12∣=7

From 1st and 2nd conditions, minimum displacement = 7 m

is it helpfull ?