Question 1

A car travels 4 km east, then 3 km west along a straight road. What is the car's total distance traveled and its displacement?

Accepted Answer

Distance: 7 km, Displacement: 1 km east

Question 2

Which of the following statements best describes the difference between distance and displacement?

Accepted Answer

Distance is the total length of the path traveled, while displacement is the straight-line change in position with direction.

Question 3

A runner completes one full lap around a 400 m circular track, ending at the starting point. What are the runner's distance and displacement?

Accepted Answer

Distance: 400 m, Displacement: 0 m

Question 4

If a bird flies 3 km east and then 3 km north, what is the magnitude of its displacement?

Accepted Answer

$$\sqrt{3^2$ + 3^2$} = \sqrt{18} = 4.24 km$$

Question 5

Which of the following is a vector quantity?

Accepted Answer

Displacement

Question 6

A hiker walks 2 km east from a campsite, then 2 km west back to the campsite. What is the hiker's displacement?

Accepted Answer

0 km

Question 7

If the origin is chosen at the turnoff and a car is 2.5 km west of it, what is the car's position on the x-axis?

Accepted Answer

$$x = -2.5 km$$

Question 8

Which of the following best describes a scalar quantity?

Accepted Answer

A quantity with only magnitude

Question 9

A board rider follows a winding river for 5 km. The straight-line distance from start to finish is 3 km. What are the distance and displacement?

Accepted Answer

Distance: 5 km, Displacement: 3 km

Question 10

If a car is at the origin and a sign is 1 km west of the car, what is the sign's position on the x-axis?

Accepted Answer

$$x = -1 km$$

Question 11

Which of the following is true about the magnitude of a vector?

Accepted Answer

It can only be positive or zero

Question 12

A cyclist rides 2 km east, then 4 km west. What is the cyclist's displacement?

Accepted Answer

$$-2 km$$

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the origin on an x-axis?

Accepted Answer

The reference point where $$x = 0$$

Question 14

A student claims that displacement depends on the path taken. Is this correct?

Accepted Answer

No, because displacement depends only on initial and final positions

Question 15

If a car moves from $$x = -3 km to$$ $$x = +2 km$$, what is its displacement?

Accepted Answer

$$\Delta x = +5 km$$

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a vector quantity?

Accepted Answer

Distance

Question 17

A person walks 5 m north, then 12 m east. What is the magnitude of their displacement?

Accepted Answer

$$\sqrt{5^2$ + 12^2$} = 13 m$$

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of a scalar quantity that can be negative?

Accepted Answer

Temperature

Question 19

If the position of an object changes from $$x_i = 2 m to$$ $$x_f = -3 m$$, what is the displacement?

Accepted Answer

$$\Delta x = -5 m$$

Question 20

A car travels 10 km east, then 10 km west, then 5 km east. What is the car's displacement?

Accepted Answer

$$+5 km$$

1D Motion: Position, Distance, and Displacement

Study Guide - Practice Questions