Question

What is the difference between distance and displacement? Give an example of a situation where distance and displacement both have the same magnitude. Give another example, where distance and displacement have different values. Make sure to address the terms "vector" and "scalar" in your response.

Answer 1

Explanation :

Distance is total path travelled by an object during its entire journey. It is a scalar quantity i.e only magnitude.

Displacement is the shortest distance covered by an object. It is basically the change in position of object. It is a vector quantity i.e direction as well as magnitude.

When an object is travelling in a straight line and stops at the end point, then both distance and displacement are same.

When an object is travelling in a straight line and then changes its direction or we can say come backwards then the magnitude of distance and displacement are different.