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Dec 28, 2020 · Distance and displacement are commonly confused terms in physics that are important to get correct. Distance is a scalar quantity , the total distance traveled by an object; displacement is a vector quantity , the shortest path in a straight line between the starting position and final position.
The primary difference between distance and displacement is that distance is the actual length of the path covered by someone or something, but displacement is the length of the shortest route between the starting and ending points.
Distance is a scalar quantity that refers to "how much ground an object has covered" during its motion. Displacement is a vector quantity that refers to "how far out of place an object is"; it is the object's overall change in position.
Distance and displacement are two quantities that seem to mean the same but are distinctly different with different meanings and definitions. Distance is the measure of “how much ground an object has covered during its motion” while displacement refers to the measure of “how far out of place is an object.”
Distance is a scalar measure of the interval between two locations measured along the actual path connecting them. Displacement is a vector measure of the interval between two locations measured along the shortest path connecting them.
Key Differences: Nature: Distance is a scalar quantity, whereas displacement is a vector quantity. Representation: Distance is represented by a positive value, while displacement can be positive, negative, or zero, depending on the direction of motion.
Difference between distance and displacement: If an object started travelling from B to C and ends at D, distance travelled is BC + CD. Displacement is BD. Displacement can be ZERO: If the object started travelling from B to C to D and ends at B, distance travelled is BC + CD + DB.
