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Why is displacement classified as a vector while distance is classified as a scalar?
ADisplacement carries a direction and distance does not
BDistance carries a direction and displacement does not
CBoth quantities always carry the same direction
DNeither quantity can ever carry a direction
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. Displacement carries a direction and distance does not
1. Distance is described only by how big the path length is, a scalar.
2. Displacement is described by how big the net change in position is and which way it points.
3. A quantity with both size and direction is defined as a vector, so displacement qualifies and distance does not.
_Source: OpenStax Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 2 "Motion in One Dimension", section 2.1 Relative Motion, Distance, and Displacement_
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