The net displacement is therefore 400 km east.

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:54:29 +0000

The Net Displacement is 400 km East: Understanding Directional Movement in Real-World Applications When analyzing motion, navigation, or geographic movement, understanding net displacement is crucial. In many cases, objects or vehicles don’t just shift in a single direction—they travel across multiple vectors. A net displacement of 400 kilometers east means the overall change in position from the starting point results in a movement 400 km toward the east direction. This concept is essential in fields like transportation planning, geography, navigation systems, and environmental science. ### What is Net Displacement? Net displacement refers to the straight-line distance and direction from a starting point to an ending point, ignoring the actual path taken. Unlike total distance traveled, which may be much longer due to backtracking or detours, net displacement focuses purely on the final position relative to the origin. In the case of a 400 km net east displacement, the overall movement overshoots west and compensates fully eastward, leaving a clear eastward vector.