Question

Identify which of the following statements is true?
(1) Displacement is scalar and distance is vector
(2) Displacement is vector and distance is scalar
(3) Both displacement and distance are vector
(4) Displacement and distance are slangs equal

Answer 1

Distance and displacement are two terms that appear to be interchangeable but have quite different meanings and definitions. The term "distance" refers to "how much ground an object has traversed during its motion," whereas "displacement" refers to "how far out of place an object is."

Complete step-by-step solution:
Distance and displacement are two terms that appear to be interchangeable but have quite different meanings and definitions.
You must first learn the definitions of distance and displacement before you can understand the difference between the two. You should also be aware that a vector quantity like displacement is direction-aware, whereas a scalar quantity like distance is direction-blind. When an object changes its direction of travel, displacement adjusts to account for it; travelling in the other direction basically cancels out any previous displacement.
The term "distance" refers to "how much ground an object has traversed" during its motion, whereas "displacement" refers to "how far out of position an object is." The term "displacement" refers to a shift in an object's position. It's a vector quantity with a magnitude and a direction. Distance is a scalar quantity because its magnitude, not its direction, determines its value.
So, the correct option is: (2) Displacement is vector and distance is scalar.

Note: There can never be a displacement bigger than distance. It can be the same as or less than the distance. By definition, displacement is the shortest distance between two points, whereas distance is the length of the path you travelled.