Distance and Displacement

• Motion


  A continuous change in position of an object with respect to a reference point for a particular time interval
• Rest


  When an object is not changing its position at a given time
• Distance


  The total length of the path traveled by an object
• Displacement


  The shortest distance between the object's initial position and final position
• Distance is a scalar quantity, specified by magnitude alone
• Displacement is a vector quantity, specified by both magnitude and direction
• The standard unit of distance and displacement is meter (m)
• Distance


  Can be calculated by adding up all the lengths of the path covered by the object
• Displacement


  Can be calculated by finding the difference between the final and initial position of the object
• Displacement can be equal to distance when the path traveled is a straight line
• Displacement cannot be greater than the distance traveled
• If an object returns to its starting position, the distance traveled will double but the displacement will be zero
• The difference between distance and displacement is that distance measures the total length of the path traveled, while displacement measures the shortest straight-line distance between the initial and final positions
• Vector


  a quantity that has both magnitude and direction
• Motion


  Change in position with respect to a reference point
• Scalar


  A quantity that has magnitude and size