Distance Vs. displacement worksheet - Free Printable

Problem Analysis and Solution

The worksheet focuses on the concepts of distance and displacement. Let's break it down step by step.

---

#### Part 1: Definitions
1. Distance:
- Distance is how far an object has moved.
- Its value cannot be zero (unless the object hasn't moved at all).
- It depends on direction (but not in a vector sense; it's a scalar quantity).

2. Displacement:
- Displacement is how far an object has moved from its initial position.
- Its value can be zero (if the object returns to its starting point).
- It depends on direction (it is a vector quantity).

---

#### Part 2: Questions

##### Question 1:
- Ahmed walks 3 km north, then turns east and walks 4 km. What is the distance?

Solution:
- Distance is the total length of the path traveled, regardless of direction.
- Ahmed walks:
- 3 km north
- 4 km east
- Total distance = \( 3 \, \text{km} + 4 \, \text{km} = 7 \, \text{km} \).

Answer: \( \boxed{7 \, \text{km}} \)

##### Question 2:
- Ali walked from home to school, then from the school to the park. What is his total distance?

Solution:
- The diagram shows:
- Home to School: 5 km
- School to Park: 3 km
- Total distance = \( 5 \, \text{km} + 3 \, \text{km} = 8 \, \text{km} \).

Answer: \( \boxed{8 \, \text{km}} \)

---

#### Final Answers
1. For Ahmed: \( \boxed{7 \, \text{km}} \)
2. For Ali: \( \boxed{8 \, \text{km}} \)

---

Explanation of Concepts

- Distance is a scalar quantity that measures the total length of the path traveled. It does not depend on the starting or ending point, only on the actual path taken.
- Displacement is a vector quantity that measures the shortest distance between the starting and ending points, along with the direction. It can be zero if the object returns to its starting point.

This distinction is crucial for understanding motion in physics.

Final Answer Boxed:
1. \( \boxed{7 \, \text{km}} \)
2. \( \boxed{8 \, \text{km}} \)