Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 3 - Vectors and Coordinate Systems - Conceptual Questions - Page 82: 1

Answer

The magnitude of the displacement vector can be less or equal to distance travelled but can not be greater than distance travelled.

Work Step by Step

Magnitude of the Displacement vector is the shortest path between the initial and the final position of the object. Since it is the shortest path, it means there can not be any other path which is shorter than the displacement. But there are many paths greater than displacement. Thus magnitude of the displacement vector can never be greater than the distance travelled by the object. But it can be less or equal to the distance travelled by the object. In other words we can write it as an equation $ |diplacement| \le distance$
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