Position and displacement
Free notes · JEE Main Physics
Formulas
Displacement as change in position
Key points
- Distance is a scalar; displacement is signed. Most wrong options trade one for the other.
Worked example
A particle moves from x = 3 m to x = −5 m. Find the displacement and the distance if it went straight.
- Δx = x₂ − x₁ = −5 − 3 = −8 m.
- Distance along the straight path = |Δx| = 8 m.
Answer: Δx = −8 m; distance 8 m.