Displacement and distance are fundamental concepts in physics that describe the motion of an object, but they differ significantly in their characteristics.

Displacement is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. It is defined as the shortest distance from an object’s initial position to its final position, taking into account the specific direction of the motion. For instance, if you walk $10$ meters east and then $10$ meters west, your total displacement is $0$ meters because you end up at your starting point.

In contrast, distance is a scalar quantity, meaning it has only magnitude and no direction. It represents the total length of the path covered by an object, irrespective of the direction taken. In the same example, although your displacement is $0$ meters, the total distance you traveled is $20$ meters, as you walked $10$ meters east and then $10$ meters back west.

The distinction between displacement and distance becomes particularly significant when analyzing motion in multiple dimensions. For example, consider an object moving in a circular path and returning to its starting point. In this case, the object’s displacement is $0$ meters because its initial and final positions coincide. However, the distance traveled is equal to the circumference of the circle.

In summary, while displacement and distance are related concepts in physics, they are fundamentally different. Displacement is a vector quantity that accounts for both magnitude and direction, providing the shortest distance between two points. In contrast, distance is a scalar quantity that measures the total path length covered by an object, regardless of direction. Understanding these differences is essential for effectively solving physics problems, especially those involving motion in two or more dimensions.