Displacement Calculator
Compute 1D kinematic displacement: constant velocity (s = v·t), constant acceleration (s = v₀·t + ½·a·t²), the time-free formula, and a missing-variable solver — with automatic unit conversion.
Mode 1 — Constant velocity
s = v · t
Mode 2 — Constant acceleration
s = v₀ · t + ½ · a · t²
Mode 3 — Without the time variable
s = (v² − v₀²) / (2a)
Mode 4 — Missing-variable solver
Pick the variable to solve for, fill in the other four.
Frequently asked questions
What is displacement?
Displacement is the change in an object’s position from start to end, computed as a vector: it has magnitude and direction. Its SI unit is the meter (m). The most common formulas: s = v·t for constant velocity, s = v0·t + ½·a·t² for constant acceleration, and s = (v² − v0²)/(2a) when time is unknown.
What is the difference between distance and displacement?
Distance is the total path length traveled (a scalar quantity, always positive). Displacement is final position minus initial position (a vector quantity, which can be negative if its direction opposes the positive reference). Example: running 100 m east then 100 m back west gives 200 m of distance but 0 m of displacement.
When should I use s = v·t?
Use s = v·t when velocity is constant, meaning acceleration is zero. Example: a car traveling 60 km/h for 2 hours covers displacement s = 60 × 2 = 120 km. This is this calculator’s Mode 1, which also answers searches for displacement calculator svt (s = speed × time).
What is constant acceleration and what is its formula?
Constant acceleration (uniformly accelerated linear motion) is motion with constant acceleration (a), with formula s = v0·t + ½·a·t². Example: an object in free fall from rest (v0 = 0) with a = 9.80665 m/s² for 2 seconds covers s = ½ × 9.80665 × 4 = 19.6133 m.
How do I compute displacement without knowing time?
Use s = (v² − v0²)/(2a), which contains no time variable. Example: a car accelerated from rest to 20 m/s at 4 m/s² covers s = (400 − 0)/8 = 50 m.
Why is my result negative?
A negative sign means the displacement direction opposes the positive direction you set as reference. That is normal for vector quantities, not an error. Example: acceleration −9.80665 m/s² (upward positive reference) for 1.5 seconds gives displacement ≈ −11.0325 m, meaning the object moves downward.
How does this calculator differ from angular displacement and engine displacement?
Three different things. This calculator computes linear displacement, i.e. straight-line motion in meters. Angular displacement measures rotation in radians or degrees — see the angular displacement calculator. Engine displacement is automotive engine cylinder volume in cc or liters, not a motion-physics quantity.
What units does this calculator support?
Length: m, km, cm, mm, miles, feet. Time: seconds, ms, minutes, hours. Velocity: m/s and km/h. Acceleration: m/s². All computations run in SI units, then convert to your chosen unit.
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