Question

Fuel used up in a vehicle depends on which of the following? Justify your answer.

1. Total distance travelled
2. Displacement

Answer 1

Fuel used up in a vehicle depends on the total distance travelled.

Reason - The engine must use energy to move the vehicle through every part of the route it travels, regardless of the direction of motion. Therefore, the amount of fuel consumed is determined by the total distance covered along the path.

In contrast, displacement refers only to the straight-line change in position from the starting point to the final point. A vehicle may travel a considerable distance and still end up where it began, giving a displacement of zero. Even so, it will have used fuel because of the distance travelled. Thus, fuel consumption is related to distance, not displacement.