Distance and Displacement

The difference between the distance and the displacement.

Tips:

• Is the magnitude of the displacement equal to the distance?

No, the distance is the length of the track while the displacement is the length of the straight line connecting the start and end points.

• Can we know the distance given the displacement, or vice versa?

No. However, in one case, the distance and the magnitude of the displacement are equal, that is when the object moves in a straight line and in one direction.

• Does the distance have the same unit as the displacement?

Yes, except that you need to accompany the unit of displacement with a direction because it is a vector. This can be indicated by a positive or negative sign in one dimension. In two and three dimensions, the direction will be expressed in a different way.