A car is driven 1200 m north at 20.0 m/s and then driven 1600 m east at 25.0 m/s. What are the magnitude and direction of the displacement for this trip?
A) 1400 m, northeast
B) 2000 m, 36.9° north of east
C) 2000 m, 53.1° north of east
D) 2800 m, 36.9° east of north
E) 2800 m, 53.1° east of north

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The displacement is the vector sum of the north and east components. Using the Pythagorean theorem, the magnitude is √(1200² + 1600²) = 2000 m. The direction is found using tan⁻¹(1200/1600) = 36.9° north of east.

A Car Is Driven 1200 M North at 20