العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolDISPLACEMENT (VECTOR)
In physics, 'displacement' is the vector that specifies the position of a point or a particle in reference to an origin or to a previous position. The vector directs from the reference point to the current position.
When the reference point is the origin of the chosen coordinate system, the 'displacement vector' is better referred to as the position vector, which expresses position by the straight line directed from the previous position to the current position, as opposed to the scalar quantity distance which expresses only the length. This use of displacement vector can describe the complete motion as well as the path of the particle.
When the reference point is a previous position of the particle, the 'displacement vector' indicates the sense of movement by a vector directing from the previous position to the current position. This use of displacement vector is useful for defining the velocity and acceleration vectors of the particle.
By plotting the 'displacement', relative to the starting point, against time on a position vs. time graph, the average velocity or the instantaneous velocity can be found by taking the slope of the graph or the derivative of the graph, respectively.
In dealing with the motion of a rigid/firm body, the term ''displacement'' may also include the rotations of the body.
★ Affine space, which distinguishes between points in space and displacements between them
Displacement vector versus distance traveled along a path
When the reference point is the origin of the chosen coordinate system, the 'displacement vector' is better referred to as the position vector, which expresses position by the straight line directed from the previous position to the current position, as opposed to the scalar quantity distance which expresses only the length. This use of displacement vector can describe the complete motion as well as the path of the particle.
When the reference point is a previous position of the particle, the 'displacement vector' indicates the sense of movement by a vector directing from the previous position to the current position. This use of displacement vector is useful for defining the velocity and acceleration vectors of the particle.
By plotting the 'displacement', relative to the starting point, against time on a position vs. time graph, the average velocity or the instantaneous velocity can be found by taking the slope of the graph or the derivative of the graph, respectively.
In dealing with the motion of a rigid/firm body, the term ''displacement'' may also include the rotations of the body.
| Contents |
| See also |
See also
★ Affine space, which distinguishes between points in space and displacements between them
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
