<p align="right">Last Update: <font color="#4f81bd">November 12, 2024</font></p> ## BIG IDEAS - The total path length traveled by an object, regardless of its direction. - Distance is a [[Scalars|scalar quantity]]. - The [[SI units|SI Unit]] for distance is the [[meter]]. - Distance is always positive. - There are numerous symbols for distance. The symbol $d$ and $s$ are common. --- ### Definition Distance refers to the *total length of the path* an object travels from one point to another, without considering the direction. Thus distance is a [[Scalars|scalar quantity]]. >[!info] Symbols >The symbol $d$ is commonly used to represent distance when describing the length between two points. The symbol $s$ is used in motion and kinematics. ### Relationship to Time [[Time]] is used to measure distance, which depends on the signal having constant [[speed]]. $distance = speed \times time$ [[Electromagnetic radiation|Light]] is used to define the [[SI units|SI unit]] of distance, the [[meter]]: a meter is the distance light travels in a vacuum in ${1}/{299 \ 792 \ 458}$ of a second. ### Scalar Quantity Distance is either a value of zero or a positive number because the number represents the magnitude of the measurement of distance. ### Distance versus Displacement >While distance is concerned with the "how much ground" you've covered, displacement focuses on "how far out of place" you are from your starting point and includes direction. ### Slide Deck <div style="position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-top: 56.2500%; padding-bottom: 0; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px 0 rgba(63,69,81,0.16); margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.9em; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 8px; will-change: transform;"> <iframe loading="lazy" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0; border: none; padding: 0;margin: 0;" src="https://www.canva.com/design/DAGPwIHglWs/Ij91ZZbLvkivEL6eIc7Fig/view?embed" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" allow="fullscreen"> </iframe> </div> ### Video <iframe width="100%" height="480px" style="border:0;" scrolling="no" src="https://go.screenpal.com/player/c06FqzVEXvK?width=100%&height=480px&ff=1&title=0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> --- Return [[Home|Home]] | [[Mechanics]] | [[Notes Vault/Physics Notes Vault/Kinematics/Kinematics|Kinematics]] | [[Notes Vault/Physics Notes Vault/Dynamics/Dynamics| Dynamics]] | [[Notes Vault/Physics Notes Vault/Kinematics/1D Motion/Position|Position]] | [[Displacement]] | [[Speed]]