DISTANCE & DISPLACEMENT

A grid system of streets on a map makes it easy to describe how to get to different locations.
However, there is no convenient grid system over oceans and the countryside.

In those situations, it is necessary to describe directions and distances to reach any given location
not in clear view. The “buried treasure” maps made by pirates involved a series of distances and
directions that could be used to locate the treasure. A single distance and direction could not be
used because natural obstacles and landmarks had to be avoided. An example of typical
instructions might involve the following: Start at Hangman’s Tree, travel 50 paces north-west, 40
paces south-west and 60 paces due west. Dig at this spot to find the treasure. The figure below
shows these instructions in map form.

Following the instructions on a treasure map may not lead you to a pirate’s treasure. Someone
else may have found the treasure before you. Perhaps the pirate who drew the map did not draw it
correctly. Can you think of another reason why the map may not lead you to the treasure? It has
something to do with the paces. When using instructions to travel somewhere, it is often helpful if
actual distances are given. The distances combined with the directions are more precise and
useful than paces.
 DISTANCE & DISPLACEMENT

DISTANCE is a measure of how far an object has moved. Distance is a scalar quantity. A scalar
quantity is something that has just size. An example would be a distance of 60 metres (60 m).
Other common scalar quantities are speed, time, mass, temperature, density, area, energy,
volume and power. Distance is measured in metres (m), kilometres (km) and centimetres (cm).

DISPLACEMENT is a straight-line measure of how far, and in what direction, an object is from its
starting point. Displacement is a vector quantity. A vector quantity is something that has size and
direction. An example would be a displacement of 60 metres due south (60 m S). Other common
vector quantities are velocity, acceleration and force. Displacement is measured in the same units
as distance.

DISTANCE AND DISPLACEMENT: A GIANT EXAMPLE

Example: Imagine Eugenia Ellie who walks from the shade of her favourite tree to the river for a
drink, then to her favourite sandpit for a quick “de-flea”, as shown in the figure below. When she is
at the river, Eugenia will have, (a) walked a distance of 240 metres, and (b) a displacement of 240
metres east. But when she is at the sandpit, Eugenia will have (a) walked a distance of 410
metres, and (b) a displacement of 294 metres east 35 south (E 35° S). Notice that the distance
and displacement at the sandpit are quite different because displacement is the straight line,
distance from a starting point to an end point with the direction given.

DISTANCE AND DISPLACEMENT: EXERCISES

 DISTANCE & DISPLACEMENT

1. Consider three cars, P, Q and R which start at town X and travel to town Y by three
different roads, as shown in the figure below.
a. Where did each car start from?
Town X
b. Where did each car finish?
Town Y
c. Where is town Y relative to town X (that is, how far and in what direction)?
120km north-east
d. What distance did car P travel?
120km
e. What distance did car Q travel?
250km
f. What distance did car R travel?
200km
g. At the end of its journey, how far is P from X?
120km
h. At the end of its journey, how far is Q from X?
120 km
i. At the end of its journey, how far is R from X?
120 km
j. What is the displacement of P at the end of its journey?
120KM NE
k. What is the displacement of Q at the end of its journey?
120km NE
l. What is the displacement of R at the end of its journey?
120 km NE
m. What is the displacement of Q at F?
70 KM E
n. What is the displacement of Q at I?
110KM N 33
o. What is the displacement of R at G?
45KM N
p. What is the displacement of R at H?
89KM NE 28
Scale: 1 cm = 12.5 km
 DISTANCE & DISPLACEMENT

2. Jesse James, a boundary rider, rides from his ranch house each morning to check that the
fences around his property are in good condition.

Tabulate the distance Jesse has travelled, and his displacement when he has travelled from (a) the
ranch to A, (b) the ranch to A to B, (c) the ranch to A to B to C, (d) the ranch to A to B to C and
back to the ranch, and (e) the ranch to A to B to C back to the ranch then to A.

Journey Distance Displacement

10.5km 10.5km E
(a)
18.5km 10.5km SE
(b)
26.5km 10.5km S
(c)
37km 0km
(d)
47.5km 10.5km E
(e)
 DISTANCE & DISPLACEMENT

3. Lisa collects a parcel from the Post Office, walks 600 m east then turns south into William
Street. On reaching James Street she walks 400 m west where she delivers the parcel at Fred’s
house. Lisa then walks east along James Street towards her house.

(a) Calculate the total distance that Lisa walked from the Post Office to her house.
2.5km

(b) Calculate her total displacement (magnitude only) from the Post Office to her house.
 DISTANCE & DISPLACEMENT

1.3km SE

4. Beth decides to do some training for her athletics carnival by running to a nearby park and then
back to her friend Paula. She is initially standing 200 m from Paula and runs 400 m towards the
park as shown. She rested and then jogged back to her friend Paula.

(a) What distance has Beth travelled?

1 km

(b) What is Beth’s displacement at the end of her run?

200m W

5. An object moves 14 metres north and then 14 metres south. What distance has it covered?
What is its displacement?
28m. 0m displaced

6. A person runs 50 metres north, then 20 metres south and then 30 metres west. What is the total
distance covered? What is the person’s displacement?
100m covered. 42m displaced NW

7. A car starts from rest and moves north at a constant rate for 400 metres, then stops for 10
seconds before moving north another 150 metres. What is the total displacement of the car? Is it
the same as the distance?
550m, no. the magnitude for distance and displacement are the same but only displacement had
direction.
 DISTANCE & DISPLACEMENT

8. Consider the graph below.

(a) What is the distance covered in the graph?

20m

(b) What is the displacement shown?

20m S