definition of displacement ?
Answers
Hi. While an object is in motion, to covers some distance. Distance is the length of actual path covered by an object in motion. The point from where it starts is the starting point of the body. The place where it comes to rest is the end point. Thus, Displacement is defined as follows:
The shortest distance between the start and end points of an object in motion is defined as displacement.
Displacement is always in a straight line; hence, it requires some direction to define itself. It also requires some magnitude (eg. 2km, 3km, 4km etc.) to define how much displacement occurred in which direction. Thus, Displacement is a vector quantity as it requires both magnitude and direction to define itself.
Since it is a vector quantity, it may be positive, negative or zero (if there is no motion of the body or the starting and ending points are the same).
Hope it helps.
Displacement is a physical quantity which determines the shortest path between the final and initial position of the body .
It is a vector quantity. It means it has both magnitude and direction.
Magnitude of displacement is equal to the distance travelled by an object only if the object continues to move along a huge straight line in a given direction.
Magnitude of the displacement is less than the distance covered by an object if direction of motion of the object changes.
Under no condition displacement of an object can be more than the distance covered by it.