1. Distance & Displacement
Regents Physics
Mr. Rockensies

2. Distance Results from an object’s change in position
Measured between two points
Measured in meters (kilometers, centimeters, millimeters, micrometers…)
Scalar quantity (no direction)
Measured by using a metric ruler
Ex: 214 meters

3. Displacement Results from an object’s change in position
Measured from the object’s initial position to its final position
Measured in meters (kilometers, centimeters, millimeters, micrometers…)
Vector quantity (has direction)
Measured by using a metric ruler
Ex: 214 meters North

4. Practice Problems
Ingrid jogs 400 meters south, 1200 meters west, and then 300 North. How far does she have to jog to get back to her initial position (displacement)? How far did she jog (distance)?
Richard drives 150 km South, 215 km East, and 150 North. What distance did he travel? What is his displacement?
Usain goes for a warm-up run around a 400 m track. After completing 4 laps, he takes a quick break. He then runs 10 more laps before cooling down. What was his distance travelled when he took a break? What was the distance travelled when he finished his workout? What was his displacement when he took a break? What was his displacement when he finished his workout?

5. Conceptual Question
Can the displacement ever be greater than the distance?
No. They can be equal if all displacements are I the same direction, but if not, the distance will always be greater, never less, than the displacement.

6. Practice
Marcia sails 400 m south, then 3500 m east, and then after floating in the ocean for a time, is pushed 200 m north. She then finishes up her time on the ocean by sailing 2600 m south. What is her distance travelled in meters? Kilometers? What is her displacement in meters? Kilometers?