Which of the following quantities can never be negative?

Options

A. Acceleration
B. Displacement
C. Distance travelled
D. Work

Answer

To determine which of the following quantities can never be negative, we will analyze each option:

1. **Acceleration**:
- Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity with respect to time. It can be positive or negative depending on whether the object is speeding up or slowing down. Therefore, acceleration can be negative.

2. **Displacement**:
- Displacement is a vector quantity that represents the change in position of an object. It can be positive, negative, or zero depending on the direction of the movement relative to a chosen reference point. Thus, displacement can also be negative.

3. **Distance Travelled**:
- Distance travelled is a scalar quantity that measures the total path length an object has moved, regardless of direction. Since it is a measure of length, it can never be negative. Distance is always zero or positive.

4. **Work**:
- Work is defined as the product of force and displacement in the direction of the force. Work can be positive, negative, or zero depending on the direction of the force relative to the displacement. Therefore, work can also be negative.

After analyzing all the options, we conclude that the quantity that can never be negative is:

**Correct Answer: Distance Travelled**