If a book is moved across the edge of a table and ends up at it's initial position, it's displacement would be zero, right? Because it started and ended at the same place?
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Correct!
Distance is a measure of how far the book has actually moved through space regardless of its position. So this would be however far it was moved across the table.
Displacement is a measure of how far the book has moved from it's initial position. So yes, if it is moved back to its initial position then its displacement is zero, no matter what distance is has travelled!
This distinction between distance and displacement is a very important thing to understand if you want to try and model the mechanics of universe.
Distance is a measure of how far the book has actually moved through space regardless of its position. So this would be however far it was moved across the table.
Displacement is a measure of how far the book has moved from it's initial position. So yes, if it is moved back to its initial position then its displacement is zero, no matter what distance is has travelled!
This distinction between distance and displacement is a very important thing to understand if you want to try and model the mechanics of universe.
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Relative strictly to the table, yes.
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Exactly right :)
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correct
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Yes.