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GCSE Physics · key term
The total length of the route travelled by an object, measured in units such as metres (m).
Used by AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Specification 4.5.6.1.4 · Paper 2
The total length of the path an object has travelled, regardless of direction.
Revise: The distance–time relationshipDistance travelled is the total length of the path taken. If you walk 5 m away from your starting point and then 5 m back, you have travelled 10 m, even though you finish where you began. A distance–time graph shows how this running total changes.
Specification 2.6, 2.9 · Paper 1
The length of the path travelled by an object, represented by in this equation and measured in metres.
Specification P2.1b, P2.1f · Paper 1 (Foundation), Paper 3 (Higher)
The length of the route travelled by an object, commonly measured in metres.
Revise: Calculating speedTime is on the horizontal axis and distance travelled is on the vertical axis.
The total length of the route followed by an object; it is a scalar quantity and cannot be negative.
A distance–time graph showing total distance travelled cannot slope downwards. A journey back towards the start still adds to the distance travelled.
Use the total distance travelled and the total time taken when calculating average speed; include time spent stationary if it is part of the journey time.
Do not confuse the two graph operations: gradient gives acceleration, whereas enclosed area gives displacement or distance travelled.
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