Answer to Question #904 in Mechanics | Relativity for darcelle

Question

How do find
& & & & & & & 1. total distance traveled;
& & & & & & & 2. total displacement'
& & & & & & & 3. net displacement?

Answer 1

(1) You have to obtain the sum of elementary units of path - multiply the speed modulus at each time moment by elementary time units.
(2) You have to find distance within endpoints at the start of the motion and at the finish of it respectively. If start point has the coordinates (x₁, y₁) and the finish point - (x₂,y₂),
D² = (x₂-x₁)² + (y₂-y₁)²
(3) You have to obtain the vector which modulus equals to the distance within endpoints of the motion and direction can be estimated as (x₂-x₁, y₂-y₁).