A hiker starts at a campsite that will be treated as the origin of an east–west coordinate line. She first walks 3.0 km due east along a straight, level trail, then reverses direction and walks 2.0 km due west along the same trail before stopping for lunch.
(a) Describe, in words, the difference between the distance the hiker covers and her displacement for the hike described.
(b) Calculate the numerical values of the hiker’s distance and displacement, including proper units and sign where appropriate.
(c) Explain whether the magnitude of a displacement can ever be greater than the corresponding distance for any one-dimensional motion. Use clear reasoning that refers to the definitions of distance and displacement.
(d) Identify a specific condition under which a traveler can have zero displacement but a non-zero distance. Illustrate your answer with a concise example.