Question

Distance vs Displacement

Answer 1

Distance and displacement are two fundamental concepts in physics, particularly in kinematics, which is the study of motion.

### Distance
- **Definition**: Distance is a scalar quantity that refers to the total length of the path traveled by an object, regardless of its starting or ending point.
- **Characteristics**:
- Always positive or zero.
- Measured in units such as meters, kilometers, miles, etc.
- Does not take direction into account.
- Example: If you walk 3 meters east, then 4 meters west, your total distance traveled is 7 meters.

### Displacement
- **Definition**: Displacement is a vector quantity that refers to the change in position of an object. It is defined as the shortest straight-line distance from the initial position to the final position, along with the direction of that line.
- **Characteristics**:
- Can be positive, negative, or zero depending on the initial and final positions.
- Also measured in units like meters, kilometers, etc., but includes a directional component.
- Example: Using the same scenario where you walk 3 meters east and then 4 meters west, your displacement would be 1 meter west (since you ended up 1 meter west of your starting point).

### Key Differences
1. **Nature**:
- Distance is scalar (only magnitude).
- Displacement is vector (magnitude and direction).

2. **Calculation**:
- Distance is the total path length.
- Displacement is calculated as \( \text{Displacement} = \text{Final Position} - \text{Initial Position} \).

3. **Path Dependency**:
- Distance depends on the actual path taken by the object.
- Displacement depends only on the initial and final positions, not the path.

Understanding these differences is essential for solving problems related to motion in physics.