Final answer:
Distance traveled refers to the total length of the path taken between the starting and ending points, while the magnitude of displacement refers to the size of the change in position, without regard to its direction.
Step-by-step explanation:
Distance traveled refers to the total length of the path taken between the starting and ending points, while the magnitude of displacement refers to the size of the change in position, without regard to its direction.
For example, a person may walk a distance of 150 m during a lecture but end up only 2.0 m to the right of their starting point. The distance traveled would be 150 m, while the magnitude of displacement would be 2.0 m.
This occurs because displacement is a vector quantity that considers both magnitude and direction, whereas distance is a scalar quantity that only considers magnitude.