A runner starts at a flagpole

PHYSICS · Subjective · CBSE · Physics · Motion · Motion

Problem

A runner starts at a flagpole, sprints 100 m east, then immediately turns and jogs 40 m west along the same straight track. Describe why the total distance the runner travels is larger than the magnitude of the runner’s displacement.

Related theory

1D Motion: Distance, Displacement, Speed & Velocity
Motion in a straight line
Distance, velocity and acceleration
Speed, velocity and acceleration
Distance and displacement
Motion

Browse the problem library