Displacement vs. distance

About this practice set

Displacement vs. distance is a Physics quiz (Kinematics) with 20 multiple-choice questions. Pick an answer and read the explanation that follows.

What you will be asked

• A runner does one full lap of a 400 m track. What is their displacement?
• Distance is a scalar; displacement is a:
• A hiker walks 3 km east then 4 km west. What is the total distance walked?
• For the same hiker (3 km east, then 4 km west), what is the displacement?
• Can distance ever be less than the magnitude of displacement?
• A student walks 2 m south, then 5 m north in a straight line. What is the displacement from the start (size and direction)?
• A student walks 8 m north, then 4 m north, then 7 m south in a straight line. What is the size (magnitude) of the displacement from the start?
• A student walks 3 m right, then 9 m right, then 1 m left. What is the total distance walked?

…and 12 more.