Question 1

Displacement is a

Accepted Answer

Vector quantity. Displacement has both magnitude and direction — the vector from initial to final position.

Question 2

A particle completes one full lap of a circular track. Its displacement is

Accepted Answer

Zero. It ends where it started — initial and final positions coincide, so displacement is zero.

Question 3

A particle moves along half a circle of radius r. The magnitude of its displacement is

Accepted Answer

2r. Start and end are at opposite ends of a diameter: displacement = 2r.

Question 4

In one-dimensional motion, displacement

Accepted Answer

Can be positive, negative or zero. The sign shows direction along the chosen axis; returning to start makes it zero.

Question 5

A person walks 3 m east and then 4 m north. The magnitude of the displacement is

Accepted Answer

5 m. Perpendicular legs: \sqrt{3^2+4^2} = 5 m.

Question 6

The magnitude of displacement is

Accepted Answer

Never greater than the distance travelled. The straight line between two points is the shortest path, so |	ext{displacement}| \leq distance.

Question 7

A body completes a round trip and returns to its start. Its displacement is

Accepted Answer

Zero. Same start and end point \Rightarrow zero displacement.

Question 8

Displacement is defined as

Accepted Answer

The change in position vector. \Delta\vec r = \vec r_{final} - \vec r_{initial} — position change, independent of route.

Question 9

A particle moves from position \vec r_1 = 2\hat{i}+3\hat{j} to \vec r_2 = 5\hat{i}+7\hat{j} (metres). The magnitude of its displacement is

Accepted Answer

5 m. \Delta\vec r = 3\hat{i}+4\hat{j}, magnitude \sqrt{9+16} = 5 m.

Question 10

The area under a velocity–time graph (with sign) gives

Accepted Answer

Displacement. Signed area under v–t is \int v\,dt — the displacement; total unsigned area gives distance.

Question 11

A particle moves from x = +5 m to x = -3 m. Its displacement is

Accepted Answer

-8 m. \Delta x = x_f - x_i = -3 - 5 = -8 m (8 m in the negative direction).

Question 12

A particle moves along a quarter circle of radius R. The magnitude of its displacement is

Accepted Answer

R\sqrt{2}. Start and end positions are perpendicular radii apart: chord = \sqrt{R^2+R^2} = R\sqrt{2}.

Question 13

Can the displacement be zero while the distance travelled is 20 m?

Accepted Answer

Yes — for any closed path back to the start. Any route that returns to the start (out-and-back, loop…) gives zero displacement with non-zero path length.

Question 14

The displacement between two given points

Accepted Answer

Is the same for every path taken. Displacement depends only on the endpoints, not on the route between them.

Question 15

A man walks 8 km north and then 6 km south. His displacement is

Accepted Answer

2 km north. Net position change: 8 - 6 = 2 km towards the north.

Question 16

A particle moves as x = t^2 - 6t (metres, seconds). Its displacement between t = 0 and t = 6 s is

Accepted Answer

Zero. x(0) = 0 and x(6) = 36-36 = 0: displacement = 0 (though it travelled 18 m out and back).

Question 17

The SI unit of displacement is

Accepted Answer

metre. Displacement is a length — measured in metres, with a direction attached.

Question 18

After every complete lap on any closed track, the displacement of a runner is

Accepted Answer

Zero. Each complete lap returns the runner to the same point, resetting displacement to zero.

Question 19

The ratio \frac{|	ext{displacement}|}{	ext{distance}} for any motion is

Accepted Answer

\leq 1. Since distance \geq |displacement|, the ratio never exceeds 1 (equals 1 for straight one-way motion).

Question 20

The minute hand of a clock has length r. The magnitude of the displacement of its tip in 30 minutes is

Accepted Answer

2r. In 30 minutes the tip moves to the diametrically opposite point: displacement = 2r.

Displacement — JEE Main Physics MCQs with Solutions

Questions with solutions