Position distance and displacement quick check
Here are quick definitions and an example to understand position, distance, and displacement:
**Position**: The location of a point or object in space relative to a reference point. Usually given in coordinates (like in a Cartesian plane with an x- and y-axis), it describes where something is.
**Distance**: The total path length traveled from one position to another. It is a scalar quantity, meaning it only has magnitude (how much) and no direction. Distance is always a positive value and can never be zero or negative because it's the accumulation of the entire path traveled, regardless of direction.
**Displacement**: The straight-line distance from the initial to the final position of an object with an associated direction. It is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. Displacement can be zero if the object returns to its starting point, and it can be positive or negative depending on the chosen coordinate system.
**Example**: Imagine a person walking on a straight path as follows:
1. They start at point A.
2. Walk 5 meters east to point B.
3. Then walk 3 meters west to point C.
For this example:
- The person's final **position** with respect to point A is 2 meters to the east.
- The total **distance** they walked is 5 meters + 3 meters = 8 meters.
- The **displacement** from point A to point C is a straight-line distance of 2 meters to the east.
In this case, the distance measures the total pathway of the walk, while the displacement measures the net change in position.