Class 9 > Unit # 02: Kinematics > Distance, Displacement and Speed

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Unit No. 2 Kinematics - Distance, Displacement & Speed

Four Differences Between Distance and Displacement

Distance	Displacement
i) The total length covered by a moving body without mentioning direction of motion.	i) The shortest distance between two points is called displacement.
ii) It is a scalar quantity.	ii) It is a vector quantity.
iii) The S.I. unit of distance is meter (m).	iii) The S.I. unit of displacement is meter (m).
iv) Distance depends upon the path i.e. it changes according to the path taken.	iv) Displacement does not depend upon the path and it only depends upon the initial and final position of the body.

Q. Define Speed, its formula and unit.

Definition

Distance covered by an object in a unit time is called speed.

Formula

Speed = $\frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Time}}$   ⇒   $V = \frac{S}{t}$

Where:
• “V” is the speed of the object
• “S” is the distance traveled by it
• “t” is the time taken by it

Unit

Its S.I. unit is meter per second (m/s).

Nature

It is a scalar quantity.

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