difference between displacement and distance?

Answer 1

To me displacement means it has moved, it used to be in the old place and now has been moved. Water or people can be displaced. As well as masses and stuff on the end of springs like in physics class.

Distance just means how far apart two things are, it does not imply that one thing has moved over that distance. Like the distance between New York and San Francisco. You would never say displaced because neither one has moved.

Answer 2

displacement:
1.
1. The act of displacing.
2. The condition of having been displaced.
2. Chemistry. A reaction in which an atom, radical, or molecule replaces another in a compound.
3. Physics.
1. A vector or the magnitude of a vector from the initial position to a subsequent position assumed by a body.
2. The weight or volume of a fluid displaced by a floating body, used especially as a measurement of the weight or bulk of ships.
4. The volume displaced by a single stroke of a piston in an engine or pump.
5. Geology.
1. The relative movement between the two sides of a fault.
2. The distance between the two sides of a fault. Also called dislocation.
6. Psychiatry. A psychological defense mechanism in which there is an unconscious shift of emotions, affect, or desires from the original object to a more acceptable or immediate substitute.


distance:
1. The extent of space between two objects or places; an intervening space.
2. The fact or condition of being apart in space; remoteness.
3. Mathematics. The length or numerical value of a straight line or curve.
4.
1. The extent of space between points on a measured course.
2. The length of a race, especially of a horserace.
5.
1. A point or area that is far away: “Telephone poles stretched way into a distance I couldn't quite see” (Leigh Allison Wilson).
2. A depiction of a such a point or area.
6. A stretch of space without designation of limit; an expanse: a land of few hills and great distances.
7. The extent of time between two events; an intervening period.
8. A point removed in time: At a distance of 11 years, his memory of the crime was blurry.
9. The full period or length of a contest or game: The challenger had never attempted the distance of 12 rounds.
10. An amount of progress: The curriculum committee is a distance from where it was last month.
11. Difference or disagreement: The candidates could not be at a greater distance on this issue.
12. Emotional separateness or reserve; aloofness.

Answer 3

Distance and displacement are two quantities which may seem to mean the same thing, yet they have distinctly different meanings and definitions.

Distance is a scalar quantity which refers to "how much ground an object has covered" during its motion.

Displacement is a vector quantity which refers to "how far out of place an object is"; it is the object's change in position.

Example:

To test your understanding of this distinction, consider the motion depicted in the diagram below. A physics teacher walks 4 meters East, 2 meters South, 4 meters West, and finally 2 meters North.

Even though the physics teacher has walked a total distance of 12 meters, her displacement is 0 meters. During the course of her motion, she has "covered 12 meters of ground" (distance = 12 m). Yet, when she is finished walking, she is not "out of place" – i.e., there is no displacement for her motion (displacement = 0 m). Displacement, being a vector quantity, must give attention to direction. The 4 meters east is canceled by the 4 meters west; and the 2 meters south is canceled by the 2 meters north.

Answer 4

If the length of the path between two points is measured along a straight line the length is called displacement. That is it is a vector quantity and if direction is not given it has no meaning.

Distance is the length of the path ignoring the direction. For example if a man goes around a circular path and reaches the initial point once, the distance traveled by him is 2pi r where r is the radius of the circle. But the displacement is zero.

Answer 5

The best way to explain the difference between "displacement" and "distance travelled" is to think of a circular race track of diamter 500 meters. Let's say you run once around the track, ending at the same place you started from. Your "distance travelled" is (no surprise) 500 meters. Your displacement, however, is (surprise!) zero. Displacement is the change in location between your starting point and your ending point, no matter how much distance you travelled to get between the two points. Thus, the greatest a displacement can be is the distance travelled; it can be less, even quite a bit less.


check out: http://experts.about.com/q/Physics-1358/Linear-Motion-1.htm

Answer 6

Displacement takes into consideration the direction of travel also.
Distance is just the total distance of movement.

So, if you are moving 10 miles south and then 10 miles east, your total distance travelled will be 20 miles.

Whereas, your displacement will be around 14.14 miles (10 x root of 2)

Answer 7

displacement is a vector (has magnitude and direction).
distance is a scalar quantity (just has magnitude)

The displacement is basically how far you have travelled from the starting point. For example, if you run around a track (circular) and finish where you started, your displacement is 0 but your distance travelled is the length of the track.

Answer 8

Displacement is the space left after something is removed.
Distance is the measure of how far away something is.

Answer 9

Displacement refers to the actual change in position, whereas distance refers to the total distance travelled. In the graph below, the distance travelled is the total number of dashes. The displacement is only equivalent to the number of dashes in the { }'s

----------------
Start...........\
.................../
...---------------
../
..\
....------ Finish
{---------}

Note: Ignore the ...'s, they are there for spacing.

Answer 10

distance is probably the distance travelled. and displacement is the distance travelled w/o intersecting each other. or something. ugh.
this is why i hate bloody physics to the core.