Position, Path Length and Displacement
Defines fundamental concepts of position, distance, and displacement in one dimension.
What is Position, Path Length and Displacement?
The location of an object with respect to a reference point (origin).
Key formula / rule: Displacement
Key points
- Define position, path length, and displacement.
- Differentiate between path length and displacement.
- Calculate displacement for a given motion.
- Understand the vector nature of displacement.
Common exam trap
Confusing path length with displacement.
Definitions
- Term
Position
- Meaning
The location of an object with respect to a reference point (origin).
- Term
Path Length
- Meaning
The total distance covered by an object along its path of motion. It is a scalar quantity.
- Term
Displacement
- Meaning
The change in position of an object. It is a vector quantity representing the shortest distance between the initial and final positions.
Learning objectives
Define position, path length, and displacement.
Differentiate between path length and displacement.
Calculate displacement for a given motion.
Understand the vector nature of displacement.
Formulae
- Name
Displacement
- Note
xf is final position, xi is initial position. Δx is a vector.
- Expression
Δx = xf - xi
Prerequisites
Understanding of coordinate systems and axes.
Basic arithmetic operations.
Common mistakes
Confusing path length with displacement.
Assuming displacement is always positive.
Forgetting that displacement is a vector and has direction.
Keywords
Position
Path Length
Displacement
Distance
Vector
Scalar
Kinematics
One-dimensional motion
Practice preview
A car travels 10 km north and then 10 km south. What is the total distance traveled?…
easy
A runner completes one full lap around a circular track of circumference 400 m in 50 seconds. What is the runner's displacement at the end of the lap?…
easy
A person walks 3 meters east and then 4 meters north. What is the magnitude of the displacement?…
medium