The magnitude of the displacement of a particle is _______ the distance the particle has traveled.
A) larger than
B) smaller than
C) either larger or smaller than
D) the same as
E) smaller than or equal to

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Displacement is the shortest distance between the initial and final positions of a particle, while distance is the total path traveled. Therefore, displacement is always less than or equal to the distance traveled.

The Magnitude of the Displacement of a Particle Is _______