Displacement and Velocity Direction Relationship

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SUMMARY

Displacement and velocity do not always share the same direction. Displacement is defined as the shortest distance between two points, which can differ from the direction of velocity. For example, when a projectile is launched at an angle, its velocity is directed upward while the displacement, measured from the launch point to the landing point on a flat surface, is horizontal. This distinction is crucial for understanding motion in physics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics concepts, particularly motion.
  • Familiarity with the definitions of displacement and velocity.
  • Knowledge of projectile motion principles.
  • Ability to visualize vector quantities in physics.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the differences between scalar and vector quantities in physics.
  • Learn about projectile motion and its equations.
  • Explore the concept of velocity vectors and their components.
  • Investigate real-world applications of displacement and velocity in various scenarios.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for physics students, educators, and anyone interested in mastering the concepts of motion, particularly in understanding the relationship between displacement and velocity.

Silver15
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Homework Statement


Hi, I'm new to physics and to theses forums. Hope to learn a lot and succeed in physics for school and most likely university. I'm just stuck on this one question:

Will displacement and velocity always have the same direction?

Thanks in advance.
 
Last edited:
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Oh I forgot to put what I have thought of:

Displacement is the shortest possible distance between things, and thus, it can be in a different direction than velocity.
A projectile can be shot upward at a very slight angle, and so, the velocity would be in the upward direction, but from where it was shot and where it lands is the displacement (given it's on an even surface), which is in a horizontal direction.Is this correct?
 
Welcome to PF!

Hi Silver15! Welcome to PF! :smile:

(btw, never reply to your own initial question: it takes the question off the No-replies list: edit the question instead :wink:)
Silver15 said:
Displacement is the shortest possible distance between things, and thus, it can be in a different direction than velocity.
A projectile can be shot upward at a very slight angle, and so, the velocity would be in the upward direction, but from where it was shot and where it lands is the displacement (given it's on an even surface), which is in a horizontal direction.

Yup, all correct! :biggrin:

(except, of course, displacement isn't actually a distance, is it? :wink:)
 

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