Can the displacement vector for a particle moving in two dimensions ever be longer than the length of path traveled by the particle over the same lime interval? Can it ever be less? Discuss.
The length of the displacement vector is the straight-line distance between the beginning point and the ending point of the trip and therefore the shortest distance between the two points. If the path is a straight line, then the length of the displacement vector is the same as the length of the path. If the path is curved or consists of different straight line segments, then the distance from beginning to end will be less than the path length. Therefore, the displacement vector can never be longer than the length of the path traveled, but it can be shorter.
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