Practice - Distance vs. Displacement

The change in an object's position from the initial position to final position.

• displacement

• distance

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

Nathaniel walks 50 meters directly north, stops, reverses direction, and then travels 32 meters directly south. What is is the distance travelled?

• 82 meters

• 18 meters

• 32 meters

Find the distance Sara walks from A to B, B to C then C to D?

• 11m

• 3m

• 5m

Jerry runs exactly 2 laps around a 400 meter track. What is his displacement?

• 800

• 400

• 0

• 200

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

• 0 meters
• 400 meters
• 800 meters
• 1600 meters

A place or object (like a stop sign or mailbox) used for comparison to determine if another object is in motion is called a

• comparison point

• frame of reference

• point of view

• motion detector

The SI unit for measuring distance and displacement is the ________ .

• mile

• foot

• kilometer

• meter

When is distance going to be the same as displacement?

• When the object moves in one direction and then reverses direction.

• When the object moves in one direction without reversing.

• When the object moves in one direction then reverses direction and return to its initial position

Between distance and displacement, which one is a vector quantity?

• Distance

• Displacement