Distance vs. Displacement

What is the unit for distance?

• Liter
• gram
• meter
• ounces

What is the definition of displacement?

• How fast an object moves
• How far an object moves
• The shortest path from the end to the start

Which of the following describes a measurement that has both magnitude and direction?

• Scalar quantity

• Vector quantity

On a Saturday afternoon, you drive 30 miles directly east to visit grandma. You then drive 20 miles back the way you came to stop at a friend’s house. What is your total distance traveled? 

• 20 miles
• 30 miles
• 40 miles
• 50 miles

On a Friday evening, you drive 25 miles straight west to a football game. After the game you drive 20 miles east back the way you came to visit a friend. What is your displacement?

• 15 miles west
• 10 miles east
• 45 miles north
• 5 miles west

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

• 2 km

• 5 km

• 8 km

• 10 km

An object is _____ if its position changes.

• in motion

• at reset

• a frame of reference

• magical

From the figure, what is the displacement?

• 20 meters

• 25 meters

• 15 meters

• 25 meters NE

Because displacement has a magnitude and direction it is called a ______. 

• distance
• vector
• arrow
• length

What is a difference between distance and displacement

• Distance is measured in seconds and displacement is measured in meters

• Distance is always shorter than displacement

• Displacement can be equal to zero if the object ends in the place it began in

• Distance can be equal to infinite when only a small distance has been travelled