Subjects physics

Circular Path 972Ab3

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Circular Path 972Ab3


1. **Problem Statement:** A person walks from point P along a circular path, passing through points Q, R, S, and returns to P. We need to determine which statements about distance and displacement are true. 2. **Key Concepts:** - **Distance traveled** is the total length of the path covered. - **Displacement** is the straight-line vector from the starting point to the ending point. - For a circular path, the circumference is the total distance around the circle. 3. **Analyzing the statements:** - (A) The total distance travelled is equal to the circumference of the circle. - Since the person starts at P and returns to P after completing the circular path, the distance traveled is exactly one full circle, which equals the circumference. - (B) Displacement of the person is zero. - Displacement is the vector from start to end point. Since the person ends at the starting point P, displacement is zero. - (C) Displacement is the circumference of the circle. - This is false because displacement is a vector, not a scalar length, and here it is zero. - (D) Distance traveled by the person is twice the radius. - The circumference is $2\pi r$, which is greater than $2r$. So this is false. 4. **Final answers:** Statements (A) and (B) are true.