Distance is the total length of the path an object travels.
It does not depend on direction and is always positive.
Example: If a car goes 30 meters forward and then 30 meters back, it has traveled 60 meters of distance.
Displacement is how far an object is from where it started, including direction.
It can be positive, negative, or zero depending on the motion.
Example: If the car goes 30 meters forward and then 30 meters back, the displacement is 0 meters.
Speed is how fast an object is moving.
It is based on distance and has no direction, so it’s always positive.
Example: 10 meters per second (m/s) means the object moves 10 meters every second.
Velocity is speed with direction.
It is based on displacement and can be positive or negative.
Example: A velocity of –10 m/s means the object is moving 10 meters per second in the opposite direction.
We use velocity to control both the speed and direction of the car.
Adjust the velocity using the slider. The simulation runs for 10 seconds and graphs either distance or displacement vs. time.
If the simulation isn’t showing up or looks strange, try adjusting your browser zoom level.
Zooming too far in or out can sometimes affect how the simulation displays.
Use Ctrl + 0 (Windows) or Command + 0 (Mac) to reset your zoom to normal.