Position and Movement

When discussing position, we have to use reference points. A reference point is the starting point you choose to describe a location, or position, of an object.

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​If we describe the distance and direction from the reference point, we then have a position.

​If you move in the same direction as the reference direction, then you are moving in the positive direction.

​If you move in the opposite direction as the reference direction, then you are moving in the negative direction.

Motion in 2 dimensions is typically how we experience the world (3D if flying or jumping). So, if we want to reference position in two ​dimensions, we have to think of both up/down, and left/right.

Displacement is the distance between the starting point and ending point of a body that was in motion.

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​In the diagram to the right, the green line represents the displacement and the blue line represents the distance traveled by the object.