Position, Distance and Displacement

A super racing car is at rest at t=0 at x = -52 m.

VOICE INSTRUCTION

Please wait for the animation to completely load.

Pres the "Play" button to make the car move. You can use the VCR buttons "pause", step>>" and "<<step" to pause, step forward and step backward. "reset animation" to start over again. You can read the time and the x-coordinate at any point by pausing the animation.

Answer the following questions about the motion of this racing car:

  1. What is the distance traveled by the car from start (t=0) to finish (t=9.2)?
  2. What is the displacement of the car from start to finish?
  3. What is the position of the car at t= 6.8s?
  4. What is the position of the car at t= 7.7 s?
  5. What is the distance the car travels from t = 6.8 s to t = 7.7 s?
  6. What is the displacement of the car from t = 6.8 s to t = 7.7 s?
  7. What is the displacement of the car from t = 5.0 s to t = 9.2 s?
  8. Can displacement be negative?