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Distance & Displacement (DP IB Physics: SL)

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Distance & Displacement

  • Distance is a measure of how far an object travels
  • It is a scalar quantity - in other words, the direction is not important

300 m Race Distance, downloadable IGCSE & GCSE Physics revision notes

The athletes run a total distance of 300 m

  • Consider a 300 m race
  • From start to finish, the distance travelled by the athletes is 300 m

Displacement

  • Displacement is a measure of how far something is from its starting position, along with its direction
  • It is a vector quantity - it describes both magnitude and direction

300 m Race Displacement, downloadable IGCSE & GCSE Physics revision notes

The athletes run a total distance of 300 m, but end up 100 m from where they started

  • Consider the same 300 m race again
    • The athletes have still run a total distance of 300 m (this is indicated by the arrow in red)
    • However, their displacement at the end of the race is 100 m to the right (this is indicated by the arrow in green)
    • If they had run the full 400 m, their final displacement would be zero

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Katie M

Author: Katie M

Expertise: Physics

Katie has always been passionate about the sciences, and completed a degree in Astrophysics at Sheffield University. She decided that she wanted to inspire other young people, so moved to Bristol to complete a PGCE in Secondary Science. She particularly loves creating fun and absorbing materials to help students achieve their exam potential.