Question

When can the magnitude of displacement be equal to the distance covered by a body?

• A. When the motion of the body is towards the initial position.
• B. When the motion of the body is along a straight line.
• C. When the motion of the body is along a curved path.
• D. When the body moves with a uniform speed along a circular path.

Answer 1

The correct option is B

When the motion of the body is along a straight line.

Step 1: Explanation for the correct answer

1. Displacement is the shortest distance between the starting and ending point.
2. When a body moves in a straight line without coming back then only the distance and displacement of the body will remain the same.

Step 2: Explanation for the incorrect answer

1. When a body starts moving from a point and comes back towards the initial position then the displacement of the body will be less than the distance covered by the body.
2. When a body moves in a curved or in a circular path then the net displacement between the starting point and ending point will be less than the actual distance.
3. So options (a), (c), and (d) are the wrong answers.

Hence,

In a motion, the magnitude of displacement is equal to the distance covered by a body when the body is moving in a straight line.