Question

A car moves 80 m due north and then 55m due east then 80 m south. (a) What is the distance covered by the car? (b) What is its displacement?

Answer 1

Answer:

Distance travelled = 215 m

Displacement = 55 m

Explanation:

As per the provided information in the given question, we have :

• A car moves 80 m due north and then 55m due east then 80 m south.

We are asked to find distance covered and displacement.

Distance travelled is the total length of the path covered by the car. So,

⇒ Distance travelled = AB + BC + CD

⇒ Distance travelled = 80 m + 55 m + 80 m

⇒ Distance travelled = 215 m

∴ Total distance travelled is 215 m.

Now, we have to find the displacement. Displacement is the distance between the initial to final position of the car. Here, initial position of the body is A and final position of the body is D. Thus, AD is the displacement.[tex][/tex]

Here,

⇒ BA = CD (Opposite sides of a rectangle are equal.)

⇒ BC = AD (Opposite sides of a rectangle are equal.)

BC is 55m, As opposite angles of a rectangle are equal, AD is also 55m. Thus, Displacement is 55 m.

∴ The displacement of the car is 55 m.