Question

If the distance covered is zero, then the displacement will be
A. must be zero
B. may or may not be
C. cannot be zero
D. depends upon the particle

Answer 1

Hint As we know the distance covered is always positive as it is \[\dfrac{s}{t}\] where \[s\] and \[t\] are speed and time respectively but displacement can be zero, positive and negative as it is \[\dfrac{v}{t}\] where\[v\] and \[t\] are velocity and time respectively.

Complete step by step answer
As in the question we are given with distance as zero that means for any particle distance can always be zero if the particle has not moved even from a point to any other point or it can be a circular path, so the particle has not moved. So if the particle has not moved speed will be zero always and we know speed is magnitude of velocity that is if seed is zero velocity is also zero so displacement should be zero. And we know velocity is speed with direction of speed that is speed vector where vector is used to give the direction of speed at any point. And we also know displacement is a distance vector that is if a particle covers a distance from point A and comes back to point A after some time so displacement for this round trip will be zero.

Note Remember displacement is not always equal to distance, it depends on net path covered from starting and ending point that is distance between starting and ending point is displacement but with direction given to it and velocity is speed with direction that is if a particle is going in x direction with \[5m/s\] speed then velocity will be \[5\widehat i\] where \[\widehat i\] is giving the x direction.