distance vs displacement basic concepts

1. Vocabulary Quiz- (1D Motion) Wednesday

2. Vector vs Scalar
 Most of the quantities
used to describe motion
can be categorized as
either vectors or
scalars.
 A vector is described by
magnitude (size) and
direction
 Example.. Where is Big
Spring? 40 mi, East
 A scalar is described by
magnitude (size) only
 Example…How fast is the
speed limit? 70 mph

3. Review
 A quantity that is
ignorant of direction is
referred to as a
_________________.
 a. scalar quantity b. vector
quantity
 3. A quantity that is
conscious of direction
is referred to as a
_________________.
 a. scalar quantity b. vector
quantity
 a. scalar quantity
 B. vector quantity

4. In which movie have you heard the
word Vector?
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKQdkS0qG3g

5. Distance vs- Displacement
I. Distance and Displacement
1) Distance and displacement are similar but
different
a) Distance is a scalar quantity which refers to
“the amount of ground an object has covered"
during its motion.
b) Displacement is a vector quantity which refers
to “the overall change in position of the object from
start to finish”. You can think of it as the distance
“the shortest distance that the crow flies”.

6. What is the car’s distance, what is the car’s
displacement?
 The car covered a distance of 25 km
and a displacement of 10 km, East

7. What distance did Tim travel? What was
Tim’s displacment?
 Tim covered a distance of (3m + 4m) = 5 m
and a displacement of 5 m, NE

8. What is the distance the physics student
travelled? What is their displacement?
Example- A physics student walks 4 meters East, 2
meters South, 4 meters West, and finally 2 meters
North.
The student covered a distance of 12 m (4m + 2m + 4m
+2 m) = 12 meters
and has a displacement of O m

9. Distance vs- Displacement
A football coach paces back and forth along the sidelines-
the coach moves from position A to B to C to D. What is
his distance covered and displacement?
The coach covers a distance of (35 yds + 20 yds + 40 yds) =
95 yards
and has a displacement of 55 yards, left.

10. Review
What is the distance and
the displacement of the
race car drivers in the
Indy 500?
The displacement of the
cars is somewhere near 0
miles since they virtually
finish where they started.
Yet the successful cars
have covered a distance
of 500 miles.

11. Review
 Scalar
 Scalar
 Vector
 Is speed a vector or
scalar?
 Is distance a vector or
scalar?
 Is displacement a
vector or scalar?