My book says that displacement must have distance and direction. But no where else can I find something about direction relative to displacment. Can you have displacement of 10m North? East? West? The only example in the book says the displacement of a runner is 20m South.
2006-10-23 15:59:47 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
Displacement is defined to be a vector, so it must have direction to be completely specified. The magnitude of displacement is distance, which does not need a direction.
If I walk 25 meters, that's distance. If I walk 25 meters north, that's displacement.
It's just standard terminology, pure and simple.
2006-10-23 16:03:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Displacement is the distance traveled from the original point. Displacement can be anway. Negative displacement means going back or opposite. Usually positive dislacement is going east or norh. Usually Negative is going south or west.
2006-10-23 23:17:18 · answer #2 · answered by greenwhitecollege 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Can you have displacement of 10m North? East? West? <-- yes
and displacement can even be negative (ie. if u go the "opposite" direction)
2006-10-23 23:02:21 · answer #3 · answered by blackjacknureyev 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. This is true, but all I know. Good Luck!---Jenny, MI.
2006-10-23 23:04:37 · answer #4 · answered by Jenny 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋