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2.1.1 Distance and Displacement

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  1. Kinematics is the research regarding the types of movement of an object without referring to the forces that cause the movement of the object.
  2. Movement along a straight line is called linear motion.
  3. Under linear motion, we study the
    1. distance and displacement
    2. speed and velocity
    3. acceleration
    4. and the relationship between them.

Distance

Definition: 
The distance traveled by an object is the total length that is traveled by that object.

SI unit: meter (m) Quantity: Scalar

Displacement

Definition: 
Displacement of an object from a point of reference, O is the shortest distance of the object from point O in a specific direction.

SI unit: meter (m) Quantity: Vector

Example:


The distance of point B from the origin O is 100m. The distance of point A from the origin O is also 100m.
The displacement of point B from the origin O is +100m. The distance of point A from the origin O is -100m. The + and – sign show the direction of the displacement.

Example:


Adli go to work by motorcycle everyday as shown in the diagram above. The distance that Adli travels from his house to the factory is 200m. The displacement of Adli from his house after arriving at the factory is 120m.