Displacement Graphs Notes

Displacement Graphs

Motion

  • Motion is an object's change in position relative to a reference point.
  • Example:
    • Relative to the earth: Moving at 17,500 mph.
    • Relative to the shuttle: Not moving.

Distance vs. Displacement

  • Distance: How far travelled.
  • Displacement: How far from origin.

Distance and Displacement in 2D

  • Example: Distance between Minnetonka High School and Niagra Falls, Canada.
    • Distance as the Crow Flies: 1170.297
    • Distance by Land Transport: 1525.995
    • Road journey time: 21 Hours, 11 Minutes

Practice Problem: Distance and Displacement

  • Problem: You walked 5 km East, turned around and walked 2 km West, turned around again and walked another 4 km East.
    • What is your distance?
    • What is your displacement?
  • Solution:
    • Distance: 5 + 2 + 4 = 11 \text{ km}
    • Displacement: 7 \text{ km}

Graphing Displacement

  • The displacement can be graphed over time to visualize the motion.
  • The example of walking 5 km East, then 2 km West, then 4 km East can be represented on a displacement graph with time on the x-axis.