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Distance and Displacement

Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025
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Distance and Displacement are two important terms of mechanics that may seem the same but have different meanings and definitions. Distance is a measure of "How much path is covered by an object in motion?" While Displacement is the measure of "How much path is covered by the object in a particular direction?"

Hence, the major difference between distance and displacement is that distance is a scalar quantity and displacement is a vector quantity. Despite this difference, both quantities have some similarities. The unit of distance and displacement is the meter (m). Here, we will explore the definitions, formulas, and examples of distance and displacement in physics, and some more.

What is Distance?

Distance is the total path covered by an object in motion, regardless of the direction. It is a scalar quantity, meaning only the magnitude of the path length is considered, not the direction.

Distance is represented by the symbol 'd' and is not indicated with an arrow, as it is a scalar quantity and direction is not considered. The distance between points A and B is illustrated in the image below.

What is Distance ?

Distance Formula,

Mathematically, distance is defined as the total length of the path traveled by an object from one point to another.

We know that,

Speed = Distance / Time

Therefore using the above formula we get the formula for the distance when the speed and time of any motion is given is,

Distance = Speed × Time

d = s × t

where,

  • d is the Distance Covered Object
  • s is the Speed
  • t is the Time Taken

What is Displacement?

Displacement is defined as the change in an object's position, taking into account both the magnitude and the direction of motion. It is a vector quantity because it includes both the magnitude and the direction from the initial to the final position.

Displacement always follows a straight-line path, as it is the shortest distance between the initial and final points i.e. A and B. The displacement between points A and B is shown in the image below.

What is Displacement?

Displacement Formula,

Mathematically, the displacement is defined as, the "Minimum distance between two points." The formula used to find the displacement is,

∆x = xf - x0

where,

  • xf is the Final Position of Object
  • x0 is the Starting Position of Object
  • ∆x is the Displacement of Object

Distance Vs Displacement

Distance is the total path covered by an object in motion, regardless of the direction, while Displacement is the straight-line distance between the initial and final position of the object, along with the direction of motion. The differences between Distance and Displacement are shown in the table added below,

Distance 

Displacement

Distance is the total path covered by the object in motion, irrespective of the direction of the path.Displacement is defined as the total change in the object's position along with the direction of motion.
Distance is represented by the letter d.Displacement is represented by the letter s.
Distance is a Scalar Quantity.Displacement is a Vector Quantity.
When Distance is calculated, only the length of the path is considered, ignoring its direction.When Displacement is calculated, both the length of the path and the direction of the object are considered.
The formula to calculate the distance (d) is,
Speed × Time
The formula to calculate the Displacement (s) is,
Velocity × Time
The distance can only have positive values.However, displacement can be positive, negative, or zero. 

Similarities Between Distance and Displacement

Despite a number of differences between them, both distance and displacement have quite similarities as well, some of which are listed below:

  • SI unit of both Distance and Displacement is meter (m).
  • Both distance and displacement depend on the initial and final points for measurement.
  • When the direction is not considered both are equal in magnitude, in most cases.
  • The dimensional formula for Distance and Displacement is the same. i.e [M⁰L¹T⁰]

Solved Examples on Distance and Displacement

Example 1: A particle has covered a distance of 1000 meters and a displacement of 200 meters in 1 min 40 sec. Find the Speed and Velocity of the particle during motion.

Solution:

Time Taken = 1 min 40 sec = 100 sec
Speed = Distance/ Time
Speed = 1000/ 100 = 10 m/sec
Velocity = Displacement/ Time
Velocity = 200/100 = 2 m/sec

Example 2: The speed and the velocity of a car are given as 5 m/sec, and the time taken in the whole journey is 5 minutes, what are the observations drawn from that information?

Solution:

Time taken in Whole Journey = 5 mins = 5 × 60= 300 sec
Speed = 5 m/sec
Distance = 5 × 300 = 1500 m = 1.5 km
Velocity = 5 m/sec
Displacement = 5× 300= 1500 m = 1.5 km
Observation: The distance and the displacement are both equal since the speed and the velocity of the car is equal. Therefore, it can be said that the car has traveled only in a straight direction.

Example 3: A boy decided to take a walk around his town in the evening, he started from his home and traveled approximately 1500 meters in 30 minutes. He finally came back to his home. Find the values of the following quantities,

  • Speed
  • Displacement
  • Velocity

Solution:

Given
Distance= 1500 m
Time= 30 minutes= 30× 60 seconds= 1800 sSpeed = Distance/ Time
Speed= 1500/1800 = 0.833 m/sec
Displacement = 0 m (as the boy finally came back to his house, so the initial and the final point coincided).
Velocity = Displacement/ Time = 0/ 1800 = 0 m/sec

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