Question
What is Displacement?
Answer
Displacement – It is the shortest distance between initial and final positions with the direction from initial to final position. It is a vector quantity having unit metre or centimeter. Mathematically, it is equal to difference of position vectors, i.e. Δr = |r2 – r1| while distance is actual path length, i.e. ABC as shown in given figure alongside.
The displacement of motion may be zero or negative but path length or distance can never be negative. Magnitude of displacement is less than or equal to distance.
