A runner compels one lap around a 300-m oval track, returning to her staring position. What distance does she cover, and what was her displacement? Explain.
She traveled 300 meters; the displacement is zzero. The displacement is the difference between where she started and where she ended.
To calculate the distance covered by the runner, we can simply add up the distance covered in each lap. In this case, the distance covered in one lap around the oval track is given as 300 meters.
So if the runner completes one lap around the track, the distance covered would be 300 meters.
As for the displacement, it is a measure of the change in position. In this case, since the runner returns to her starting position after completing one lap, her displacement would be zero.
To understand why the displacement is zero, you can think of it as the straight-line distance from the runner's starting position to her ending position. Since the runner ends up back at her starting position, the straight-line distance between the two positions is zero.
Therefore, the distance covered by the runner is 300 meters, and her displacement is zero.