Physics Displacement Concepts

Displacement

• Displacement is the change in position of an object.
• It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.
• Displacement is calculated by subtracting the initial position from the final position.

Calculating Displacement

• Example 1: An ant travels from 25.00 cm to 80.00 cm. Its displacement is 80.00 cm - 25.00 cm = 55.00 cm to the right.
• Example 2: An ant's aunt travels from 35.00 cm to 10.00 cm. Her displacement is 10.00 cm - 35.00 cm = -25.00 cm, or 25.00 cm to the left.
• Example 3: An ant's aunt's aunt travels from 15.00 cm to 95.00 cm, then back to 20.00 cm, and finally to 30.00 cm. Her total displacement is 30.00 cm - 15.00 cm = 15.00 cm to the right.
• Example 4: Kenny Kinematic travels from mile marker 334 to mile marker 181. His displacement is 181 - 334 = -153 miles, or 153 miles south.
• Example 5: Phylis Physics travels 2.50 km north, then 4.30 km south, and finally 1.40 km north. Her final displacement is (2.50 km + 1.40 km) - 4.30 km = -0.40 km, or 0.40 km south. Her total distance traveled is 2.50 km + 4.30 km + 1.40 km = 8.20 km.
• Example 6: A student travels 4.0 m east, 8.0 m south, 4.0 m west, and 8.0 m north. His displacement is zero because he ends up back at his starting point. His total distance traveled is 4.0 m + 8.0 m + 4.0 m + 8.0 m = 24.0 m.

Displacement vs. Distance

• Distance is the total length traveled by an object, regardless of direction.
• Displacement is the change in position of an object, taking direction into account.

Examples

• Example 7: The photographer undergoes a greater displacement than the astronauts. This is because the photographer flies a direct distance between two points on Earth, while the astronauts circle the Earth, covering a much longer distance.
• Example 8: The difference in displacement between the photographer flying from Florida to California and the astronauts flying from California back to Florida is the distance between Florida and California. This is because the astronauts fly in the opposite direction of the photographer.

This quiz covers the concept of displacement in physics, focusing on the definition, vector nature, and examples of calculating displacement. Test your understanding of how to find displacement using initial and final positions in various scenarios.