Displacement and Distance

Displacement Definition

• Displacement is a measure of the net change in an object's position from its initial to its final position.

Displacement vs. Distance

• Displacement is different from distance, as distance is a measure of the total amount of ground covered by an object, regardless of its direction.
• An object can have a non-zero distance but a zero displacement if it returns to its initial position.
• Example: A car traveling in a circular path returns to its starting point, having zero displacement but a non-zero distance (the circumference of the circle).

Test your knowledge on displacement and distance and learn how they differ. Explore scenarios where an object can have zero displacement but a non-zero distance.