What's the difference between distance and displacement

Distance is a scalar, meaning it only has a magnitude. Displacement is a vector, meaning that it has both magnitude and direction. For instance, distance can state that I am "x" metres away from a point, displacement would state that I am "x" metres away in a "y" direction. If you travel away from a point then return, you have travelled a non zero distance, but your displacement is zero as you have returned to your original position. 

EG
Answered by Emma G. Physics tutor

18041 Views

See similar Physics GCSE tutors

Related Physics GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Houses lose majority of their energy through the roof and windows. State the three methods of energy transfer. For the roof and windows respectively, describe one adaptation that could be made to improve their efficiency and explain their method.


What happens to the pressure inside a sealed canister of gaseous oxygen when it is transferred from a cool environment to a warmer environment?


Describe the transfers of energy occurring when a ball is thrown vertically up in the air and falls back down to Earth, assuming there is no friction from the air.


A train accelerates from 10 m/s to 50 m/s in 20 seconds. Calculate the Acceleration


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning