Which statement best describes the difference between path length and displacement for an object moving in a straight line and returning to its starting point?
Path length is either equal to or greater than displacement
Path length is the total distance travelled by an object along its actual path, while displacement is the shortest straight-line distance between the initial and final positions.
When an object moves in a straight line without changing direction, the path length equals the displacement.
But if the object moves forward and then returns, or changes direction, the path length becomes greater than the displacement because it accounts for the entire distance covered, not just the net change in position.
Hence, the correct answer is that path length is either equal to or greater than displacement.
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