Choose Athena's correct distance travelled and displacement from the drop down menu. Explain how you calculated Athena's distance and displacement. Include why her distance and dis... Choose Athena's correct distance travelled and displacement from the drop down menu. Explain how you calculated Athena's distance and displacement. Include why her distance and displacement are NOT the same.
Understand the Problem
The question asks for the calculations of distance and displacement based on Athena the cat's movements in a linear path. It involves understanding the concepts of total distance traveled and the net change in position (displacement) from her starting point to her ending point. The user must choose options for both measures from a provided list and explain the differences between distance and displacement.
Answer
Distance: 7 feet; Displacement: 1 foot left.
Answer for screen readers
Distance: 7 feet
Displacement: 1 foot left
Steps to Solve
- Calculate Total Distance Travelled
First, we determine the total distance that Athena traveled. She walks 3 feet to the right and then 4 feet to the left:
Total distance = 3 feet + 4 feet = 7 feet.
- Calculate Displacement
Next, we calculate the displacement, which is the net change in position from the starting point. Athena moves 3 feet to the right and then 4 feet to the left. This can be calculated as:
Displacement = Distance to the right - Distance to the left
Displacement = 3 feet - 4 feet = -1 foot.
- Interpret the Results
The distance is a total travel measure, while displacement indicates the position relative to the starting point.
Thus:
- Distance: 7 feet
- Displacement: 1 foot left (the negative sign indicates the direction to the left).
Distance: 7 feet
Displacement: 1 foot left
More Information
In motion, distance measures the total path taken, while displacement considers direction and the shortest path from start to finish. Athena walked a total of 7 feet, but due to her leftward movement, her effective displacement is 1 foot left.
Tips
- Confusing distance with displacement: Distance is the total length traveled, while displacement needs direction considered.
- Forgetting to account for direction when calculating displacement.
