Difference between Distance and Displacement
The key differences between distance and displacement are based on their nature, measurement, and relation to the motion of an object: 1. Definition: 2. Nature: 3. Value: 4. Path Dependence: 5. Magnitude: 6. Example: Summary Table: Feature Distance Displacement Definition Total path length Shortest straight-line distance Nature Scalar Vector Value Always positive Can be positive, negative, or zero Path Depends on path taken Depends only on start and end points Magnitude Greater than or equal to displacement Less than or equal to distance Example 15 meters (round trip) 5 meters (net movement) In conclusion, distance measures “how much ground is covered,” while displacement measures “how far and in what direction” from the starting point.