Question

Classify distance and displacement into scalar and vector quantities.

Answer 1

1. Distance is the total path length covered by a body moving from one point to another.
2. It doesn't have any direction.
3. So, distance is a scalar quantity.
4. Displacement is defined as the shortest path between the initial and final positions.
5. The direction of displacement is from the initial position to the final position.
6. So, displacement is a vector quantity.

Therefore, distance is a scalar and displacement is a vector quantity.