Question

A car travels 5 km due east and makes U-turn back to travel a further distance of 3 kilometre find the distance covered and its displacement​

Answer 1

Answer:

Total distance covered is 8 kilometer

Total displacement is 2 kilometer due east

Answer 2

Explanation:

Let starting position of the car as the origin. The car first travels 3KM east (+3KM) and 5 KM west after that (-5KM). East is along positive x so positive and west along negative so -ve.

To measure distance traveled, it's just the sum of distance travel throughout the journey. So car

To find the displacement we should be careful about the direction as well. Displacement measures the position of the car with respect to initial position. From the figure, it can be easily observed that the car is 2KM west from the starting point.

Displacement = +3KM + (- 5KM)

= -2KM (2KM west)

Here -ve sign represents west direction.

To find magnitude, it's just number without caring direction. Therefore,

The magnitude of displacement = 2KM