Displacement is a vector quantity, so we need to specify a magnitude and direction in order to fully characterize it. Unlike distance, which can only get larger on any path taken, displacement can be positive, negative, or zero . Displacement is zero when you start and end at the same spot.
Can distance traveled be negative?
Distance traveled is the total length of the path traveled between two positions. Distance traveled is not a vector. It has no direction and, thus, no negative sign .
Is distance or displacement always positive?
The word distance means how far the object moves regardless of direction. It is always positive and is equal to the absolute value, or magnitude, of the displacement.
When can distance and displacement be equal?
Answer: When an object moves in a straight line in the fixed direction without coming back , it’s displacement and distance magnitude will always be equal.
How does distance and displacement become equal?
The distance and the magnitude of displacement become equal when the body moves along a straight line in one direction .
Can displacement be greater than distance?
No because the displacement of an object can be either equal to or less than the distance travelled by the object .
Can a displacement be zero?
Yes, displacement can be zero even .
Can distance be negative physics?
The distance can never be zero or negative . Distance will not decrease. Distance is a scalar quantity which has only magnitude.
What are the three difference between distance and displacement?
The distance can be measured along a non-straight path. Displacement can only be measured along a straight path . Distance depends upon the path i.e. it changes according to the path taken. Displacement does not depend upon the path and it only depends upon the initial and final position of the body.
Can displacement be zero even if distance is not zero give an example?
Yes. For example, a car travels from point A to B and then comes back . Suppose AB=5m. In this case, distance travelled is 10m, while the displacement is zero.
Why distance Cannot be negative but displacement can?
Distance can never be negative and distance travelled never decreases. While displacement can be negative, positive or zero as displacement is change in position with respect to the original position of an object .
Can be positive or negative depending on the reference point distance or displacement?
The magnitude of the displacement is always positive . This is the absolute value of the displacement, because displacement is a vector and cannot have a negative value of magnitude.
What is an example of motion in which distance and displacement are different?
Under what conditions will the displacement and distance have same magnitude?
The distance and displacement of moving object will have the same magnitude when the object moves along a straight line in the same fixed direction .
Can the distance Travelled by an object be smaller than the displacement explain?
No. The magnitude of distance can never be smaller than the magnitude of displacement because distance is the path covered by a body , whereas, displacement is the smallest path to cover between a body’s initial and final position.
Can distance be equal to displacement True or false?
Yes, displacement can be equal to the total distance travelled by an object . If the object has travelled through the shortest path from initial position to the final position, then in this case: Distance=Displacement. Actually distance is greater than equal to displacement.
When can distance and displacement be equal to zero?
Displacement can be zero even when distance is not zero . Consider two points A and B such that AB = 5 m. When a car travels from A to B and then back from B to A, distance = 5+5 = 10 m. Displacement = Minimum distance between final(B) and initial position(B) = 0.
Can the displacement be greater than the distance Travelled by an object explain with an example?
no displacement cannot be greater than the distance but it can be equal or smaller than it. for eg- a boy covered 4km south and then 6 km to north then the distance will be 10 km and displacement will be 2km.
Can distance be shorter than displacement How?
No distance can never be less than dispacement.it can only be equal or greater than magnitude of dispacement. Answer: No distance cannot be less than displacement but displacement can be less than distance.
Can a particle have some distance without displacement?
Yes, it is possible that displacement is zero but not the distance . For example, a body moves along a rectangular path ‘ABCDA’ and reaches point ‘A’ again. In this case the displacement of the body is zero because the body reaches to its initial position. While the distance covered by the body is not zero.
Is it possible for a person to cover a distance and yet not make any displacement?
Yes, if the object has moved through a distance, it surely can have zero displacements . as displacement is a vector quantity depending on starting and ending position, not on the path.
