The other tree. Then, he jumps back to the first tree,...

the other tree. Then, he jumps back to the first tree, landing on it at a spot that is $1.7 \mathrm{~m}$ above the ground. Finally, he leaps back to the other tree, now landing at a spot that is $2.5 \mathrm{~m}$ above the ground. What is the magnitude of the squirrel's displacement? Two trees have perfectly straight trunks and are both growing perpendicular to the flat horizontal ground beneath them. The

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Key Concepts

Displacement

Displacement is a vector quantity that represents the overall change in position from an initial point to a final point, regardless of the path taken. It focuses on the straight-line distance and direction between these two points, distinguishing it from total distance traveled.

Coordinate Systems

A coordinate system provides a framework for representing positions in space numerically. In problems involving displacement, defining a coordinate system allows for the breakdown of motion into horizontal and vertical components, which can then be analyzed separately and later recombined.

Vector Components

Breaking a displacement into vector components involves dividing the overall movement into independent parts along the coordinate axes (typically horizontal and vertical). By analyzing these components, one can apply standard mathematical operations to determine the resultant vector.

Pythagorean Theorem

The Pythagorean Theorem is used to calculate the magnitude of the displacement vector when its horizontal and vertical components are known. In a right triangle, the theorem relates the lengths of the sides to the hypotenuse, which corresponds to the magnitude of the displacement.

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