Concept of Rest and Motion, Distance & Displacement Notes and MCQs for NEET

 - Dr.Sanjaykumar Pawar  

Rest and Motion Class 11 Physics Notes with NEET Practice Questions

Rest and Motion, Distance and Displacement explained with examples and NEET practice questions.

 Internal Links

Motion in a Straight Line Notes

Instantaneous Velocity and Acceleration Notes

Speed vs Velocity Explained

Introduction to Vectors in Physics

Vector Addition and Subtraction

Position-Time Graphs Explained

Acceleration and Retardation Notes

NCERT Class 11 Kinematics Solutions

Important NEET Physics MCQs

Assertion-Reason Questions for NEET

Physics Numericals for Class 11

Motion in One Dimension Revision Notes

Previous Year NEET Physics Questions

Units and Measurements Notes

Errors and Significant Figures MCQs

NEET Physics Notes

Concept of Rest and Motion

A. Rest and Motion are Relative Terms

• Rest and motion depend on the observer.
• The same object can be at rest for one observer and in motion for another observer.

Example: A person B is sitting inside a moving bus.

• For observer A (inside the bus), B is at rest.
• For observer C (standing on the road), B is in motion.

Conclusion: Rest and motion are relative terms.

B. Definitions

Rest

A body is said to be at rest if its position does not change with time with respect to the observer.

Motion

A body is said to be in motion if its position changes with time with respect to the observer.

---

Distance and Displacement

1. Distance (S)

Definition:

Distance is the actual path length travelled by a body from its initial position to its final position.

Properties:

• Distance is a scalar quantity.
• It has magnitude only.
• It is path dependent.
• It is denoted by S.
• Distance is always positive.

Examples:

• 7 m right + 2 m left → Distance = 9 m
• 5 m + 5 m + 4 m → Distance = 14 m
• 5 m right + 5 m left → Distance = 10 m

2. Displacement

Definition:

Displacement is the shortest straight-line distance between the initial and final positions of a body.

Properties:

• Displacement is a vector quantity.
• It has magnitude and direction.
• It depends only on initial and final positions.
• It may be positive, negative, or zero.
• Magnitude of displacement is always less than or equal to distance.

Formula:

|Displacement| ≤ Distance

Distance vs Displacement

Distance	Displacement
Scalar Quantity	Vector Quantity
Path Dependent	Path Independent
Always Positive	Can be Positive, Negative, or Zero
Actual Path Length	Shortest Distance

NEET Tip: If a body returns to its starting point, displacement becomes zero but distance remains non-zero.

---

NEET Practice Questions

Section A: Conceptual MCQs

1. A passenger sitting in a moving train is at rest with respect to:
(a) Trees outside the train
(b) Person on platform
(c) Another passenger sitting beside him
(d) Railway track
Answer: (c)

2. Rest and motion are:
(a) Absolute terms
(b) Relative terms
(c) Scalars
(d) Vectors
Answer: (b)

3. A body can be:
(a) At rest for all observers
(b) In motion for all observers
(c) At rest for one observer and in motion for another
(d) None
Answer: (c)

4. Which is a scalar quantity?
(a) Displacement
(b) Velocity
(c) Acceleration
(d) Distance
Answer: (d)

5. Which quantity depends on path followed?
(a) Displacement
(b) Distance
(c) Position Vector
(d) None
Answer: (b)

Section B: Distance and Displacement

6. A particle moves 10 m east and then 10 m west. Distance travelled is:
(a) 0 m
(b) 10 m
(c) 20 m
(d) 5 m
Answer: (c)

7. For Question 6, displacement is:
(a) 20 m
(b) 10 m
(c) 0 m
(d) 5 m
Answer: (c)

8. A body moves 3 m east and then 4 m north. Magnitude of displacement is:
(a) 5 m
(b) 7 m
(c) 1 m
(d) 12 m
Answer: (a)

9. Distance can never be:
(a) Positive
(b) Zero
(c) Negative
(d) Equal to displacement
Answer: (c)

10. Magnitude of displacement is always:
(a) Greater than distance
(b) Equal to or less than distance
(c) Equal to distance only
(d) Less than distance only
Answer: (b)

Assertion-Reason Questions

11. Assertion: Distance is a scalar quantity.
Reason: Distance has magnitude but no direction.
Answer: Both are true and Reason is correct explanation.

12. Assertion: Displacement can be zero even if distance is non-zero.
Reason: Returning to starting point gives zero displacement.
Answer: Both are true and Reason is correct explanation.

Numerical Questions

13. A boy walks 8 m east and then 6 m west.
Distance = ?
Displacement = ?
Distance = 14 m
Displacement = 2 m east

14. A particle moves 5 m north and 12 m east.
Distance = ?
Displacement = ?
Distance = 17 m
Displacement = 13 m

15. A runner completes one circular track of radius 14 m.
Distance = 88 m
Displacement = 0 m

NEET Challenge Questions

16. A particle moves along a semicircle of radius r. Ratio of distance to displacement is:
(a) π : 2
(b) 2 : π
(c) π² : 2
(d) 2π : 1
Answer: (a)

17. Which statement is correct?
(a) Distance can be zero while displacement is non-zero
(b) Distance can never be less than displacement
(c) Displacement is always greater than distance
(d) Distance and displacement are always equal
Answer: (b)

18. A man walks 4 m east, 3 m north, 4 m west and 3 m south.
Distance travelled?
Answer: 14 m

19. For Question 18, displacement is:
(a) 14 m
(b) 7 m
(c) 0 m
(d) 1 m
Answer: (c)

20. A particle moves 6 m east, 8 m north and 10 m west.
Magnitude of displacement?
(a) 4 m
(b) 8 m
(c) 4√5 m
(d) 10 m
Answer: (c)

---

Quick Revision

• Rest and motion are relative.
• Distance → Scalar, Path Dependent.
• Displacement → Vector, Path Independent.
• Distance ≥ Displacement.
• Round Trip → Displacement = 0.
• Distance is never negative.
• Displacement can be positive, negative, or zero.