Distance Vs Displacement. You drive it 5 miles east and then 3 miles west. What is the displacement A to B to C.
The difference between distance and displacement is that the direction of the distance is not that important vis a vis for displacement. In some cases the magnitude of a displacement will be equal to the distance traveled but each of these cases involves traveling in a straight line. To test your understanding of this distinction consider the motion depicted in the diagram below.
It is just the magnitude of the interval.
While displacement yields the shortest distance between two points distance refers to the space between them. What is the displacement A to B to C. Arrow cannot be used to indicate distance while displacement can be indicated by simply drawing an arrow. Distance is a scalar quantity whereas displacement is a vector quantity.
