Distance and Displacement, It resembles the same terms of whom don’t know about distance and displacement. But in reality, it is two different terms with different meanings.
Distance and Displacement may seem like similar terms in physics, but understanding the difference can create a wrong question instead of the right answer. We all have to gain the correct definition.
People sometimes think the distance and displacement are both the same meanings with different names. Distance and displacement are two quantities which mean the same but are also distinctly different with meaning and definition.
People always forget that the distance travelled can only be greater than the displacement. For example, in magnitude, we mention the size of the displacement without its Direction.
That is what the confusion creates here and make people mismatch both terms. Let’s see about both the terms and definition with a meaningful example, which makes us understand the meaning and that we don’t have confusion in mixing both the terms.
Distance:
The Origin of the distance comes from many languages like Middle English, Old French and Classical Latin.
In simple words, Distance means “measure of how much ground has an object or person has covered”.
There are many definitions for distance and in a few subjects like mathematics, physics etc. It is important to know the main and particular definition.
It is the scalar quantity representing the interval between two figures or objects. It is also defined as a numerical measurement of how far objects have covered and in physics, it is mentioned has a physical length of two objects.
We can define the distance of the object by despite its starting and ending point. The mathematical formula of Distance is:
Distance = speed × time
D = S × T
The example of distance is, if the professor walks towards the whiteboard, the distance he walks is Distance.
Another example of distance is If you walk 2 meters towards the north and turn 3 meters towards the west, the distance can be easily calculated like 2 meters + 3 meters = 5 meters.
And also the ten feet that are covered by two different tables is an example of Distance.
Also Read: Factors Affecting Friction – A Necessary Evil
Derivation of all the Formulas:
D = refers to the distance travelled by a body or object in meters (m)
S = refers to the speed of the object or body in meter per second (m/s)
T = refers to the time consumed by an object or body to cover the distance in seconds (s)
Displacement:
Here for displacement, there are many definitions in a variety of subjects like mathematics, physics, psychology etc.
But in simple words, It is mentioned as the change in the position of the object or person. The Origin of the word Displacement comes from the French department.
It also refers to by the measure of how far the object has moved. Displacement is known for its vector quantity and it has direction and magnitude. Displacement is measured by the arrow it represents.
In physics, the word displacement implies that an object has moved. If an object moves in its relative frame, then it is known as displacement.
The mathematical formula for displacement is:
Here,
u = Initial velocity
v = final velocity
a = acceleration
t = time taken
The example of displacement is, If the professor moves towards the whiteboard, the position of the professor changes. This change is known as Displacement.
Distance and Displacement:
In simple words, Distance and Displacement are mentioned as” Distance is a scalar quantity that defines “how much ground an object has covered” whereas “Displacement is a vector quantity that defines ” how far the object has moved”.
The simple and easy difference is in the position of the two marks and the independent path taken between two different points is Displacement whereas Distance is the length of two paths taken to be travelled.
- Distance is the scalar quantity and it only depends on the magnitude and not the direction while displacement is a vector quantity and it depends both on magnitude and direction.
- Distance only have positive values while Displacement has positive, negative values in it.
- Distance is the total path covered by the body and displacement is the shortest path covered by the body.
- Distance always travelled by the body and the value cannot be zero, whereas Displacement can have the value zero.
- Distance doesn’t decrease with its time whereas Displacement decrease with time.
- Distance will always be equal to or greater than displacement. It will never be lower.
- The formula of Distance is, Speed x Time whereas the formula of displacement is, Velocity x Time.
- For the calculation of the distance, the direction of the object is not needed, but for the calculation of the displacement, the direction is considered.
- Distance will not be indicated with an arrow while displacement is indicated with an arrow.
- Here the distance depends on the trajectory while displacement depends on the initial and final points.
These are the ten differences between Distance and Displacement which makes you know the difference in them and also makes you understand the concept.
Similarities between Distance and Displacement:
- Distance and Displacement both have the same dimensions.
- Both Distance and Displacement require the reference point that is to be measured from.
- Distance and Displacement both are equal to each other if the object is in a straight line and a single direction.
- Both distance and displacement are measured in meters.
These are the four Similarities between Distance and Displacement which makes you know the common and similar things in Distance and Displacement and you have cleared your confusion by reading this.
At starting everyone would have thought that both terms, Distance and Displacement are the same and would have mismatched the meanings of both terms. This would be the correct place to understand the difference and also know the similarities of both the terms.
The students who have confusion in Distance and Displacement and who mismatch both the terms, they have to know the difference in Distance and Displacement which makes them know about the terms.