Question

20. Which of the following options correctly differentiates between position, distance, and displacement?
A. Position is a total distance covered, distance is always positive, and displacement is always negative
B. Position is the starting point of an object, distance is always vector quantity, and displacement is always scalar.
C. .Position is the location of an object relative to a reference point, distance is the total path traveled, and displacement is the shortest straight –line path between initial and final positions.
D. Position is the total path traveled, distance is the change in location, and displacement is the shortest path between two points.

Answer 1

C

Explanation: Position is the location of an object relative to a chosen reference (origin). Distance is the total path length traveled (a scalar, always nonnegative). Displacement is the vector from the initial to the final position — its magnitude is the straight‑line distance between those points and it has direction.