Distance is the total path traveled, a scalar quantity. Displacement is the change in position from start to end, a vector quantity.

What is Distance?

Distance is the total length of the path an object travels. It doesn’t matter what direction the object moves; you just add up all the ground it covered. Distance is a scalar quantity, meaning it only has magnitude (a number and a unit, like 10 meters) but no direction.

  • Example: If you walk 5 meters forward and then 3 meters backward, the total distance you walked is 5 meters + 3 meters = 8 meters.

What is Displacement?

Displacement is the change in an object’s position from its starting point to its ending point. It’s a straight line from where you began to where you finished, and it includes both magnitude (how far) and direction. Displacement is a vector quantity.

  • Example: If you walk 5 meters forward and then 3 meters backward, your starting point is 0, you went to +5, and then back to +2. Your displacement is +2 meters (2 meters in the forward direction).

Interactive: Distance vs. Displacement

Let’s see the difference between distance and displacement with a simple animation!

Distance vs. Displacement Animation An animation showing an object moving right and left, illustrating the concepts of distance and displacement. Start Distance: 0m Displacement: 0m

Move the green circle to see how distance and displacement change!

Interactive Match: Distance and Displacement

Test your understanding of key terms related to distance and displacement by matching them with their meanings.

Click a term and then its matching meaning. Match all pairs to complete!

Why do Distance and Displacement Matter?

Understanding distance and displacement is crucial because:

  • They describe motion fully: Distance tells you “how much ground was covered,” while displacement tells you “how far and in what direction you ended up from where you started.” Both are needed for a complete picture.
  • Foundation for other concepts: These ideas are the building blocks for understanding speed, velocity, and acceleration.
  • Real-world applications: When navigating, you might care about the distance (how much fuel you need), but also displacement (your final destination relative to your start).

Audio Explanation

Prefer to listen? Here's a quick audio summary of distance and displacement.

💡 Quick Concept Check:

You walk 5 meters North, then 5 meters South. What is your total distance traveled, and what is your final displacement?

Click to Reveal Answer
Your total distance traveled is 10 meters (5m + 5m). Your final displacement is 0 meters, because you ended up at your starting point.

Ready to put your understanding of distance and displacement into practice? Check out these related skills:

Practice Problems

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