Intro to Displacement and Distance.

Understanding Distance and Displacement

Physics helps us understand motion. Motion happens all around us.

Every day we see objects such as cars, people move in different directions at different speeds.

Motion is

 Moving from one position to another. We can describe motion by distance and displacement.

Poll

Are distance and displacement the same thing?

• Yes

• No

Distance and Displacement

• Distance is how far an object travels.

• Displacement is a straight line from the initial position to the final position. Or, the shortest distance from the starting position to the final position.

• ( draw the picture in your notes)

Multiple Choice

Is the BLUE arrow displacement?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Is the RED arrow displacement?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Is the red arrow pointing to the displacement?

• Yes

• No

Let's calculate displacement.

• Jerry walked from home to school, then from the school to the park (the pink path)

• What is his displacement.

• Displacement = 2km

Multiple Choice

Calculate the displacement.

• 4.6 km

• 10.3 km

• 0 km

• 9.3 km

Multiple Choice

Calculate this guy's Displacement.

• 3 meters

• 0 meters

• I don't know

Here is another example.

Compare the distance from the initial position to the final position. The displacement is 0.75km

Multiple Choice

Sarah walks from points A to B, B to C then C to B. What is her displacement?

• 3 km

• 8 km

• 16 km

Displacement

An object can have zero displacement if it returns back to the same initial position.

Multiple Choice

This guy walked from A to B, B to C, C to D, and then D to A. In other words, he went around. Has he been displaced?

• No

• Yes

Multiple Choice

Calculate his displacement. This is the guy who went around.

• 0 m

• 16 m

• 8 m

• 3 m

Multiple Choice

A jogger runs on the track shown in the pink path. What is the jogger's displacement after running a complete lap around the track?

• 100 m

• 0 meters

• 160 m

• 30 m

Multiple Choice

Bill runs 400 meters to Andy's house, turns around, and runs 400 meters back home. What is Bill's displacement?

• 0 meters

• 800 meters

• 400 meters

• 1600 meters

Now let's practice Distance.

Multiple Choice

Does the pink arrow represent distance?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

What is the total distance this guy traveled?

• 4m + 3m = 7m

• 5m

Multiple Choice

Is the PURPLE line distance?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Jerry walked from home to school, then from the school to the park. What is his total distance?

• 2 km

• 5 km

• 8 km

• 10 km

Multiple Choice

Bill runs 400 meters to Andy's house, turns around, and runs 400 meters back home. What is Bill's distance?

• 800 meters

• 400 meters

• 200 meters

• 1600 meters

Multiple Choice

Scott travels north 5 miles and then goes west 3 miles before coming straight back south 2 miles. What is his distance?

• 10 miles

• 8 miles

• 7 miles

• 6 miles

Multiple Choice

Ivan walks 10 meters west to the water fountain, then runs 2 meters east to his class to avoid a lockout. His distance would be:

• 12 meters

• 10 meters

• 2 meters