Answer to Question #78438 in Mechanics | Relativity for goutham

Question

the numerical ratio of displacement to diatance

Answer 1

The numerical ratio of displacement to distance is ≤1.
We know that displacement is the body’s overall change in position from the initial point. Even if the body has traversed, the displacement of the body can be zero.
Although for distance, this is not true. If a body has moved, the distance can never be zero.
For example, if I run a circle and come back to the initial point, then my displacement would be zero, but the distance I covered would be the circumference of the circle.
Therefore my displacement would always be either equal(straight line path), or less(the above circle example) than the distance and therefore the ratio of displacement to distance would always be less than one.