Displacement vs. Distance: Defining Position in 1D Motion
1. Kinemtics Cube Notes (Position and Displacement) PDF File.pdf
1D Kinematics: Distance vs. Displacement
1D Number Line — use buttons or ← → keys
Position x
0.0 m
Displacement Δx
+0.0 m
Distance d
0.0 m
Position–Time & Distance–Time
x(t)
d(t)
🎯 Δx = 0 m — You returned to start! Distance ≠ Displacement.
Physics Insights
Distance is the total path length travelled — it only ever increases, like an odometer. It is a scalar: no direction, always ≥ 0.
Displacement (Δx = xf − xi) is the net change from start to finish. It is a vector — positive rightward, negative leftward, and can be zero even when distance is large.
Key insight: Move 5 m right then 5 m left — distance = 10 m, Δx = 0 m. The Δx arrow on the number line and the graphs make this visible simultaneously. Average speed ≥ |average velocity|, always.
Δx = xf − xi | d = Σ|path segments| | d ≥ |Δx|
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1. Position and displacement in one dimension (MIND MAP).pdf
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