Measure a walk two different ways
ObjectiveTo measure the distance and the displacement of the same journey and see for yourself that they are not the same number.
MaterialsA measuring tape, some chalk or four stones to mark the corners, and a friend to do the walking.
MethodGo to the school ground and mark four points A, B, C and D as in the figure. Ask a friend to start at A, walk to B, then to C, then to D. Measure each leg of the walk with the tape and add them up to get the total distance. Then measure straight from A to D to get the displacement. Next, repeat it as a closed rectangle: A to B to C to D and back to A.
Then discussAre the distance and the displacement equal? Is their direction the same? In which direction did the displacement happen?