Distance and Displacement

Distance and Displacement 

       The position of a moving object goes on changing with respect to time. The length of the actual path covered by a body in a time interval is called 'Distance'. While the difference between the final and the initial positions of on object is called Displacement.

Distance is a scalar quantity which has magnitude only. Displacement is a vector quantity which has both magnitude and direction.

         If the initial position of object S1 and final position of object S2. 

When S2>S1     then S2 - S1 = S ,  the Displacement is positive

When S2<S1     then S2 - S1 = -S ,  the Displacement is negative

When S2=S1     then S2 - S1 = S = 0 , the Displacement is zero

      Displacement can also be positive, negative and zero but distance only positive.