The difference between distance and displacement is as follows:
| Distance | Displacement |
|---|---|
| It is the length of the path traversed by the object in a certain time. | It is the distance travelled by the object in a specified direction in a certain time (i.e. it is the shortest distance between the final and the initial positions). |
| It is a scalar quantity i.e., it has only the magnitude. | It is a vector quantity i.e., it has both magnitude and direction. |
| It depends on the path followed by the object. | It does not depend on the path followed by the object. |
| It is always positive. | It can be positive or negative depending on its direction. |
| It can be more than or equal to the magnitude of displacement. | Its magnitude can be less than or equal to the distance, but can never be greater than the distance. |
| It may not be zero even if displacement is zero, but it can not be zero if displacement is not zero. | It is zero if distance is zero, but it can be zero if distance is not zero. |
