Q&A for How to Calculate Displacement

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A car accelerates from 8m/s to 16m/s in 10m/s. What is the displacement?

Community Answer

You'll need to know the distance first. After you find it, use the equation Displacement = 1/2(initial velocity+ final velocity) • time.

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Question

How can I calculate displacement of circular objects?

Community Answer

Displacement refers to an objects change in position so in case an object moves a complete circle (360 degrees) it will not have any displacement for a non complete circle it is easy to find the distance by using the below formula. Chord length = 2√(r^2 - d^2) where, r = radius of the circle d = perpendicular distance from the chord to the circle center. Chord of a circle is a line segment whose ends lie on the circle.

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Question

How do I calculate the resultant displacement if a man travels 1.5m towards east, then 2.0m south and finally 4.5m towards east?

Community Answer

What I would do is start by graphing your vectors, adding tip to tail, which will leave you with an end point. Assuming we started at (0,0) it would be (6, -2) in your case. Then you use the distance formula, √(x1-x2)^2 + (y1-y2)^2. So then you have √(0-6)^2 + (0-(-2))^2, which, when simplified, is the √40, or 6.324555.

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If a man walks 1 km due east and then 1 km due North, how can I calculate his displacement?

Community Answer

You can calculate it by using this formula: S=√x²+y² (S=displacement). Plug in the given direction to the formula √1²+1² then answer it according to PEMDAS. First, the exponent. 1 times 1 is obviously 1 so the expression should look like this now √1+1. 1+1 is 2 so this is left √2. You can either leave the answer like that or use a calculator to find the square root of 2.

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