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Distance is the actual path length that an object moves away from its original position. Distance is a scalar. We use the symbol d for distance. Displacement is the straight-line path between the starting point and the endpoint of a journey i.e. the distance moved in a particular direction. Displacement is a vector.
Use distance to describe the total path between starting and ending points, and use displacement to describe the shortest path between starting and ending points. Measurement from your initial position to your final position is distance traveled, and the measurement of the total length of your path from the starting position to the final ...
A position is a vector because it has both a magnitude and a direction: it is some distance from a zero point (the point we call the origin) in a particular direction. With one-dimensional motion, we can define a straight line along which the object moves.
Distance is how far the object traveled or how far it is from its initial location. Distance is a scalar. Distance gives information about the actual route taken (path). Distance gives very little information about the final position. Displacement is a direction as well as a distance from the initial to the final position..
Distance is the length of the path taken by an object whereas displacement is the simply the distance between where the object started and where it ended up. For example, lets say you drive a car. You drive it 5 miles east and then 3 miles west.
Area above the time axis = forward (positive) displacement. Area below the time axis = backward (negative) displacement. Net area (above - below) = net displacement. Total area (above + below) = total distance traveled.
Introduction to Position, Distance, and Displacement. A. Reading Positions: When objects start moving, it is useful to be able to describe an object’s location. To describe location, imagine a meterstick is placed next to the object. The meterstick acts like a number line.
