distance and displacement

Cards (3)

  • What is the difference between distance and displacement?
    - distance is a scalar quanitity so it does not give us the direction
    - displacement is a vector quantity so it tells us both the magnitude and direction (displacement is distance with a given direction, e.g. 500m due West)
  • What is distance?

    What quantity is it?
    How far an object has moved

    Scalar - no direction
  • What is displacement?

    What quantity is it?
    Measures distance and direction in a straight line from objects starting point to finishing point

    Vector