C_ Distance and Displacement

Distance

A scalar quantity referring to how much ground an object has covered during its motion.

Displacement

A vector quantity that measures how far out of place an object is, defined as the object's overall change in position.

Scalar quantity

A quantity that has magnitude but no direction, such as distance.

Vector quantity

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction, such as displacement.

How much distance did the physics teacher walk in total?

12 meters.

What was the displacement of the physics teacher after walking?

0 meters.

What is the key distinction between distance and displacement?

Distance is scalar and ignores direction, while displacement is vector and is direction-aware.

What happens to displacement when an object reverses its direction?

Displacement begins to cancel based on the new direction of motion.