How Does the Displacement Equation Calculate Position Changes in Physics?

[-Physician]

We can have the velocity as v1 or v2 , time also, but In some cases i see it in displacement for e.x
$x=x_0+v_0 t + \frac{1}{2} at^2$, how can it be displacement 1 , displacement 2, can some one explain? Is it the displacement of the body 1, and displacement of the body 2 or what?

 

[Doc Al]

We can have the velocity as v1 or v2 , time also, but In some cases i see it in displacement for e.x
$x=x_0+v_0 t + \frac{1}{2} at^2$, how can it be displacement 1 , displacement 2, can some one explain? Is it the displacement of the body 1, and displacement of the body 2 or what?

In that version of the kinematic equation, x₀ is the initial position (at time t = 0), v₀ the initial velocity, and x is the position at time t.

 

[-Physician]

Wouldn't that be the length of the body, like if the length of the body is 5m and distance 10m, the displacement would be 5m?

 

[Doc Al]

Wouldn't that be the length of the body, like if the length of the body is 5m and distance 10m, the displacement would be 5m?

No. Kinematics describes the movement of a body, not its dimensions.

 

[asteriatic]

The equation you have provided is known as the displacement equation, which represents the position of an object at a given time. The two displacements mentioned, x1 and x2, refer to the initial displacement (x0) and the final displacement (x) respectively.

The equation tells us that the final displacement (x) is equal to the initial displacement (x0) plus the product of initial velocity (v0) and time (t), plus half the product of acceleration (a) and the square of time (t^2). This equation is often used to calculate the displacement of an object undergoing constant acceleration.

To clarify, displacement 1 and displacement 2 do not refer to different bodies. They are simply different positions of the same object, with displacement 1 being the initial position and displacement 2 being the final position. This equation allows us to calculate the displacement of an object at any given time, given its initial conditions (x0, v0, and a).

I hope this explanation helps to clarify the concept of displacement and how it relates to the equation you provided. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.