What does displacement represent in physics?

Displacement in physics specifically refers to the change in position of an object. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. Displacement measures the shortest distance from the initial position to the final position, taking into consideration the direction in which the object has moved. This is different from total distance traveled, which is a scalar quantity and does not account for direction—hence, it can be greater than or equal to displacement.

Displacement can indicate not just how far an object has moved but also in which direction, allowing for a more complete understanding of an object's movement. For example, if an object moves 10 meters east and then 10 meters back west, its displacement is zero because the final position is the same as the initial position, despite having traveled a total distance of 20 meters. Therefore, recognizing displacement as the change in position of an object is critical in understanding motion in physics.