Distance versus directed distance and displacement[edit

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Distance along a path compared with displacement

Distance cannot be negative and distance travelled never decreases. Distance is a scalarquantity or a magnitude, whereas displacement is a vector quantity with both magnitude anddirection. The distance covered by a vehicle (for example as recorded by an odometer), person, animal, or object along a curved path from a point A to a point B should be distinguished from the straight line distance from A to B. For example whatever the distance covered during a round trip from A to B and back to A, the displacement is zero as start and end points coincide. In general the straight line distance does not equal distance travelled, except for journeys in a straight line.

Directed distance[edit

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Directed distances are distances with a direction or sense. They can be determined along straight lines and along curved lines. A directed distance along a straight line from A to B is a vector joining any two points in a n-dimensional Euclidean vector space. A directed distance along a curved line is not a vector and is represented by a segment of that curved line defined by endpoints A and B, with some specific information indicating the sense (or direction) of an ideal or real motion from one endpoint of the segment to the other (see figure). For instance, just labelling the two endpoints as A and B can indicate the sense, if the ordered sequence (A, B) is assumed, which implies that A is the starting point. A displacement (see above) is a special kind of directed distance defined in mechanics. A directed distance is called displacement when it is the distance along a straight line (minimum distance) from A and B, and when A and B are positions occupied by the same particle at two different instants of time. This implies motion of the particle. displace is a vector quantity. Another kind of directed distance is that between two different particles or point masses at a given time. For instance, the distance from the center of gravity of the Earth A and the center of gravity of the Moon B (which does not strictly imply motion from A to B).Shortest path length may be equal to displacement or may not be equal to.Distance from starting point is always equal to magnitude of displacement. For same particle distance travelled is always greater than or equal to magnitude of displacement. Shortest path length is not necessary always displacement. Displacement may increase or decrease but distance travelled never decreases.