Question

what is the main difference between distance and displacement vectors

Answer 1

Hey there !

distance and displacement are used to indicate the length between two points. However, these two are not one and the same thing. While distance is the length of the actual path between two locations, displacement, on the other hand, is the length of the shortest path between two locations.

Hope it helps you !

Answer 2

Distance:-

Distance is the length of the actual path traversed by a body, irrespective of its direction of motion.

Distance between two given given points may be same or different paths chosen.

It is a scalar quantity.

Distance covered is always positive or zero.

Displacement:-

Displacment is the shortest distance between the initial and final positions of a body in a given direction.

Displacement between two given points is always same.

It is a vector quantity.

Displacement covered may be positive, negative or zero.