Question
8. A nervous cat, trying to cross a road, first moved 3.5 m east, then 4.2 m west, then 1.2 m
west, then 6.6 m east. What is the cat's
a) total displacement?
b) total distance?
) average velocity if the total time elapsed is 2 s.
d) average speed if the total time elapsed is 2 s.
west, then 6.6 m east. What is the cat's
a) total displacement?
b) total distance?
) average velocity if the total time elapsed is 2 s.
d) average speed if the total time elapsed is 2 s.
Answers
GPT 3.5
a) The cat's total displacement is the vector sum of all its individual displacements. The positive direction is considered east, and the negative direction is west.
Total displacement = 3.5 m east - 4.2 m west - 1.2 m west + 6.6 m east
Total displacement = (3.5 m + 6.6 m) - (4.2 m + 1.2 m)
Total displacement = 10.1 m - 5.4 m
Total displacement = 4.7 m east
b) The total distance is the sum of all the magnitudes of the individual displacements.
Total distance = |3.5 m| + |4.2 m| + |1.2 m| + |6.6 m|
Total distance = 3.5 m + 4.2 m + 1.2 m + 6.6 m
Total distance = 15.5 m
c) The average velocity is defined as the total displacement divided by the total time elapsed.
Average velocity = Total displacement / Total time
Average velocity = 4.7 m east / 2 s
Average velocity = 2.35 m/s east
d) The average speed is defined as the total distance divided by the total time elapsed.
Average speed = Total distance / Total time
Average speed = 15.5 m / 2 s
Average speed = 7.75 m/s
Total displacement = 3.5 m east - 4.2 m west - 1.2 m west + 6.6 m east
Total displacement = (3.5 m + 6.6 m) - (4.2 m + 1.2 m)
Total displacement = 10.1 m - 5.4 m
Total displacement = 4.7 m east
b) The total distance is the sum of all the magnitudes of the individual displacements.
Total distance = |3.5 m| + |4.2 m| + |1.2 m| + |6.6 m|
Total distance = 3.5 m + 4.2 m + 1.2 m + 6.6 m
Total distance = 15.5 m
c) The average velocity is defined as the total displacement divided by the total time elapsed.
Average velocity = Total displacement / Total time
Average velocity = 4.7 m east / 2 s
Average velocity = 2.35 m/s east
d) The average speed is defined as the total distance divided by the total time elapsed.
Average speed = Total distance / Total time
Average speed = 15.5 m / 2 s
Average speed = 7.75 m/s