Question

How can you define distance and displacement

Answer 1

The actual path covered by a body is known as it's distance but displacement is the shortest distance covered by a body.

Answer 2

The actual length of the path covered by a moving body in a certain interval of time is called the distance travelled by the body.

Since it is just the magnitude of the distance , taken in any direction, it is considered to be a scalar quantity

Its SI unit is metre (m)

Suppose a body covers a distance of 4 km while moving from A to B, 5 km from B to C, 6 km from C to D and 7 km from D to A. The total length of the path covered by the body

=AB+BC+CD+DA

= 4+5+6+7

= 22 km

The shortest distance covered in a particular direction by a body while moving from one point to another is called its displacement. It is a vector quantity since it has both magnitude and direction.

SI unit of displacement is metre(m).