Which term describes the distance and direction of an object's change in position from the starting point?

• A. Displacement
• B. Speed
• C. Velocity
• D. Acceleration

Answer: (A)

Displacement describes the distance and direction of an object's change in position from the starting point. It is a vector, meaning it has both magnitude and direction—the straight-line separation from where you started to where you ended, in a specific direction. That makes it the best term for this idea.

Think of it this way: you might travel along a winding path, covering more ground, but your displacement is only the straight-line distance from your starting point to your final position, with a direction from start to finish. For example, if you go 3 meters east and then 4 meters north, your displacement is the straight-line distance of 5 meters toward the northeast direction, not the total path length of 7 meters.

Speed is just how fast you go (magnitude only). Velocity adds direction but is about how fast the position changes over time, i.e., displacement per unit time. Acceleration is how velocity changes with time.