Clair throws a softball 7.2 m east to Sasha, who then throws it 9.5 m west back to Clair who had to move back to catch the ball. The time takes 6.0s.
Calculate: the displacement
To calculate the displacement, we need to find the net distance and direction traveled by the softball.
First, let's find the total distance traveled by the softball. It travels 7.2 m east from Clair to Sasha and then 9.5 m west from Sasha back to Clair. This means the softball traveled a total distance of 7.2 m + 9.5 m = 16.7 m.
Now, let's determine the direction of the displacement. Since the softball initially moved east and then moved back to Clair in the west direction, the overall displacement will be in the opposite direction to the last movement. Therefore, the displacement is 16.7 m west.
So, the displacement of the softball is 16.7 m west.