Lesson: Distance and Displacement High School Physics

Physics

In this lesson, we will learn how to define distance as the length of a path between two positions and to define displacement as the straight line distance between two positions.

Video

11:59

Sample Question Videos

02:38
05:53
06:33

Worksheet

Q1:

A rover on Mars is initially facing north. The rover travels 300 m in the direction it is facing, turns to its left and travels 200 m in this new direction, turns left again and travels 500 m in the direction it is now facing, and turns left once more and travels 100 m in the direction that it is now facing.

What is the rover’s net displacement east of its initial position?

What is the rover’s net displacement north of its initial position?

Q2:

A woman starts at the point A shown in the diagram and walks up two flights of stairs that are both 6 m in height and walks to point B, which is directly above point A.

What is the woman’s upward vertical displacement?

What is the woman’s net horizontal displacement?

Q3:

A tourist wandering around a city walks 965 m east, then 244 m south, then 139 m west, then 760 m north, then 826 m west, and then finally 44 m south before stopping for a rest. How far is the tourist displaced from the point they started walking from?

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