Question

What are the distance and displacement of a race car that completes the Indy 500 (you might have to research this race on the Web)? Explain your answer in each case.

Answer 1

If a car completes a race, it means:

1)It starts from a point

2)Completes many laps

3)Returns to the starting point, thus finishing the race.

In the Indy 500, the drivers complete 200 laps, a total of 800 km. Thus, the distance travelled by them from start to end is 800 km.

But displacement is defined as the shortest distance between the start and the the end point. In this case, since the start and the end point are the same, the displacement is zero.

( However, not all the cars start from the same point. They are one behind the other. If t they all had to start from the same point, then they have to be one on top of the other! That is why getting pole position is important.

But this answer is sufficient if we are only talking about the physics and not going into motor racing.)