In terms of vector addition, how is the total displacement of a moving object calculated?

The total displacement of a moving object is determined by adding the x and y components of its displacement vectors separately. In physics, displacement is a vector quantity that has both magnitude and direction. When analyzing motion in two dimensions, it's common to break down the displacement into its horizontal (x) and vertical (y) components.

To compute the total displacement, you first identify the individual displacements in both the x and y directions. These components can be represented as vectors, and vector addition allows you to find the resultant vector that represents the total displacement. By summing the x components together to get a total x displacement and summing the y components to get a total y displacement, you create a new vector that represents the overall change in position of the object.

This approach is fundamental in physics as it respects the rules of vector addition and captures the directionality of motion, which is crucial for accurately describing the path taken by the object.

Other methods mentioned, such as subtracting velocities, averaging displacements, or multiplying distances, do not correctly describe how to calculate total displacement in the framework of vector addition.