Which statement resolves Zeno's arrow paradox by distinguishing motion at an instant from motion over an interval?

Which statement resolves Zeno's arrow paradox by distinguishing motion at an instant from motion over an interval?

• A. The arrow's motion is continuous and measurable at every instant.
• B. The paradox is resolved by considering motion over an interval only.
• C. The paradox is solved by instantaneous velocity concepts.
• D. The resolution distinguishes motion at an instant from motion over an interval.

Answer: (D)

The key idea is to separate the state of motion at a single moment from how position changes over a period of time. Zeno’s arrow uses an instant to argue about motion, but motion is about change over time, not just where the arrow is at an exact instant. Instantaneous velocity captures how fast the position changes as the time interval around the instant shrinks to zero, and this rate can be nonzero even though the arrow has a definite position at that instant. So the paradox dissolves when you distinguish motion at an instant from motion over an interval. The statement that makes this distinction explicit is the best answer. The other ideas don’t directly express that crucial separation between instantaneous state and interval-based change.

The key idea is to separate the state of motion at a single moment from how position changes over a period of time. Zeno’s arrow uses an instant to argue about motion, but motion is about change over time, not just where the arrow is at an exact instant. Instantaneous velocity captures how fast the position changes as the time interval around the instant shrinks to zero, and this rate can be nonzero even though the arrow has a definite position at that instant. So the paradox dissolves when you distinguish motion at an instant from motion over an interval. The statement that makes this distinction explicit is the best answer. The other ideas don’t directly express that crucial separation between instantaneous state and interval-based change.