Question

Can displacement be negative? Can path length be negative?

Answer 1

Step 1: Displacement:-

1. Displacement is defined as the change in the position of an object.
2. It is a vector quantity and has a direction and magnitude.
3. It is represented as an arrow that points from the starting position to the final position.
4. Displacement is the direct length between any two points when measured along the minimum path between them.
5. Displacement can be positive, negative, and even zero.
6. If you move in forward direction with reference to your reference point ( initial position) then the displacement will be positive and if you move in backward direction with reference to the initial position then the displacement is negative.

Step 2: Path length:-

1. It is defined as the length of the path travelled by a body.
2. It is a scalar quantity and can never be negative.