answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

When the motion is in a straight line.

User Avatar

Angus Koepp

Lvl 10
2y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: In which circumstances is displacement is the same as distance traveled?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Physics

An object (say car) goes from one point in space to another .After it arrives to its destination its displacement is ( ) than the distance it travelled?

No. The "displacement" is the difference in position, which is not the same as the distance traveled.


How does the distance moved by an object between its starting point and its ending point compare with the displacement vector between the same point?

Displacement is how far the object is from the starting point, while distance traveled is the how far the object traveled all together. -Eric P


When can a body have same distance and same displacement?

Distance is equal to magnitude of displacement when the motion is in a straight line.


Can displacement ever be greater than the total distance traveled by a moving object?

When an object moves from point A to point B , its displacement is the straight line distance between those points. So, by definition, it is the shortest possible path. The object can certainly travel by a curved path from A to B so its actual distance traveled would be longer then its displacement. This would be true regardless of how much time it takes to travel the paths.


Will the displacement of a moving object in a given interval of time is zerowould the distance traveled by the object also be zero justify?

Displacement is a vector quantity while distance is a scalar quantity. so in case of displacement, it depends on final position. For example:- If a man walks on a circle, then if he completes one round then his displacement will be zero because the man is at same position as start position. But, his distance travelled will not be zero; it is equal to circumference of the circle.

Related questions

Is the displacement of a body same as the actual distance traveled by the body?

yes of course..


Are distance and displacement the same?

distance travel led by a particle in a given interval of time is known as displacement. displacement=distance traveled by time taken.Displacement may be zero. it is path length which a particle travels.distance should not be zero.


An object (say car) goes from one point in space to another .After it arrives to its destination its displacement is ( ) than the distance it travelled?

No. The "displacement" is the difference in position, which is not the same as the distance traveled.


How does the distance moved by an object between its starting point and its ending point compare with the displacement vector between the same point?

Displacement is how far the object is from the starting point, while distance traveled is the how far the object traveled all together. -Eric P


Can displacement be equal to total distance traveled by an object?

Yes,the magnitude of both distance and displacement can be same provided the body continues to travel in a straight line and in the same direction. However you should remember that displacement is a vector quantity while distance is a scalar quantity so they both can be compared only by there magnitude.


What conditions will the magnitude of the displacement be equal to the distance?

Only if your entire walk is in the same straight line. Otherwise, no.Example:Start anywhere on the track at the high-school football field, and walk all the way around it.The distance you walk is 1/4 mile. Your displacement is zero, because you're now standingexactly where you began.


How a displacement is zero when a body moves from origen and return to same point?

Displacement is a value predicated on the shortest distance between an initial and final position. If a "body" moves a certain distance and returns to its original origin it has not technically traveled any distance based on this definition. The displacement will therefore be zero


When can a body have same distance and same displacement?

Distance is equal to magnitude of displacement when the motion is in a straight line.


Can displacement ever be greater than the total distance traveled by a moving object?

When an object moves from point A to point B , its displacement is the straight line distance between those points. So, by definition, it is the shortest possible path. The object can certainly travel by a curved path from A to B so its actual distance traveled would be longer then its displacement. This would be true regardless of how much time it takes to travel the paths.


Will the displacement of a moving object in a given interval of time is zerowould the distance traveled by the object also be zero justify?

Displacement is a vector quantity while distance is a scalar quantity. so in case of displacement, it depends on final position. For example:- If a man walks on a circle, then if he completes one round then his displacement will be zero because the man is at same position as start position. But, his distance travelled will not be zero; it is equal to circumference of the circle.


Can displacement can be zero even when distance is not zero?

No. Distance can be greater than displacement, but not less. The magnitude of the displacement between two points is also the minimum possible distance of a path between the same points.However, the displacement can be zero if the distance is not if the object's starting point and ending point are the same.


Is displacement a scalar or vector?

Displacement in any interval of time may be zero,positive or negative.Imagine that a car begins traveling along a road after starting from a specific signpost. To know the exact position of the car after it has traveled a given distance, you need to know not only the miles it traveled but also its heading.The displacement, defined as the change in position of the object, is a vector with the magnitude as a distance, such as 10 miles, and a direction, such as east. Velocity is a vector expression with a magnitude equal to the speed traveled and with an indicated direction of motion. For motion defined on a number line, a positive or negative sign specifies the direction.Average velocity is mathematically defined asaverage velocity = total displacement/time elapsedNote that displacement (distance from starting position) is not the same as distance traveled. If a car travels one mile east and then returns one mile west, to the same position, the total displacement is zero and so is the average velocity over this time period. Displacement is measured in units of length, such as meters or kilometers, and velocity is measured in units of length per time, such as meters/second (meters per second).