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Which statement correctly distinguishes distance from displacement?
ADistance has magnitude and direction; displacement has magnitude only
BBoth are scalars with magnitude only
CBoth are vectors with magnitude and direction
DDistance has magnitude only; displacement has both magnitude and direction
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. Distance has magnitude only; displacement has both magnitude and direction
1. Distance describes only how much ground was covered -- a magnitude, with no direction attached, so it is a scalar.
2. The text states: "A quantity, such as displacement, that has both magnitude and direction is called a vector."
3. Displacement additionally specifies the direction of the net change in position, which distance does not.
4. So distance is a scalar (magnitude only) and displacement is a vector (magnitude and direction).
_Source: OpenStax Physics Ch 2 "Motion in One Dimension", p.61 §2.1 Relative Motion, Distance, and Displacement_
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