2006-12-07 09:55:46 · 4 answers · asked by wantshumpasta 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
distance is a length with no direction, ex. 5 meters
displacement is length with direction, ex 5 meters East
Also,
When you drive from one city to city, you drive on a road which usually will have turns and curves. So, we say there is a distance of, let's say, 50 km from A to B.
Displacement from A to B will be a straight line segment starting at A and ending at B, Also u will include the direction.
So besides the exclusion of direction difference, displacement is usually less in magnitude than distance.
2006-12-07 10:00:58 · answer #1 · answered by Math-Chem-Physics Teacher 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Distance: A magnitude of the displacement. The size of the straight line drawn from start to finish. Eg: Jane has driven fifty miles
Displacement: A magnitude and direction. the size and direction of a straight line drawn from start to finish. Eg: Jane drove 50 miles east
Distance Traversed: A magnitude which discusses the total distance covered regardless of start or finish point. Eg: Jane drove fifty miles in a circle and ended up right back where she started.
2006-12-07 18:04:58 · answer #2 · answered by promethius9594 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, Sean Hilliard told me that distance starts with the letter "D" and displacement also starts with the letter "D" so therefore they are different
2006-12-09 19:46:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Displacement is a vector quantity, which means that direction matters.
In distance, direction does not matter, it is simply the amount space that you traveled.
2006-12-07 18:14:02 · answer #4 · answered by sugarhigh410 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋