Natko said:Homework Statement
A car is slowing down at a rate of 20 km/h/s. How far does it travel if its original velocity is 50 km/h and its final velocity is 5.0 m/s?
Homework Equations
vf2 = v02 + 2aΔx
The Attempt at a Solution
vf2 = v02 + 2aΔx
Δx = (vf2 - v02) / 2a
= (182-502) / 2(-20)
= -2176 / -40
= 54.4 m
That's wrong, though. The answer should be 15 m.
Displacement in a word problem refers to the distance between the initial and final positions of an object. It is a vector quantity and is typically measured in units such as meters or kilometers.
Distance is the total length covered by an object, while displacement takes into account only the change in position. This means that displacement can be either positive, negative, or zero, while distance is always a positive value.
To calculate displacement, you need to know the initial and final positions of the object. Simply subtract the initial position from the final position to find the displacement. If the displacement is in a straight line, you can use the formula D = xf - xi, where D is displacement, xf is final position, and xi is initial position.
Yes, displacement can be negative. This means that the object has moved in the opposite direction of the positive direction. For example, if an object moves from 5 meters to 2 meters, its displacement would be -3 meters.
Displacement is often represented by the symbol Δx (delta x) or simply by the letter D. It is also common to see the units of displacement written after the value, such as 5 meters or -3 kilometers.