Distance:



Define

Distance refers to how much ground an object has covered. Distance is a scalar quantity, meaning it is described by only it's magnitude. If an object travels 5 meters north, 15 meters south, and 25 meters west, the distance the object covered is 45 meters.

Units (Base or Derived)

meters

Unlike position, distance is.........

Distance is how much ground an object covers. Position is the point in space an object occupies at one time. Distance is how far an object must travel from one point to reach another, so it's the amount of meters between two positions.

Unlike displacement, distance is........

Distance is how much ground an object covers. Displacement is the final distance between an object's initial position and final position. If an object travels 5 meters north, 10 meters south, then 7 meters north, the total distance traveled is 22 meters, but the displacement is 2 meters. The initial position is 0, and the final position 2 meters north. Displacement is a vector quantity, meaning it's described by magnitude and direction. Distance is a scalar quantity, meaning it's described by it's magnitude.

Unlike speed, distance is........

Distance is how much ground an object covers. Speed is the rate that an object changes it's position. If an object travels in one direction with a speed of 5m/s for 10 seconds, the object will have covered a distance of 50 meters.

Other topics

  1. Meter
  2. Scalar

Sources

http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSCI/PHYS/CLASS/1DKin/U1L1b.html
http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSCI/PHYS/CLASS/1DKin/U1L1c.html
http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSCI/PHYS/CLASS/1DKin/U1L1d.html