The term "displacement" is most closely associated with which concept?

Displacement refers to the overall change in position of an object from its initial position to its final position, taking into account only the straight line between those two points, not the actual path traveled. This concept is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction.

In contrast, total distance traveled considers the entire path length, regardless of direction. Average speed measures the total distance covered per unit time but does not account for direction or changes in position. The path taken gives a detailed route the object followed, which can be more complex than just the straight-line distance between two points. Thus, the term "displacement" aligns most closely with the overall change in position, emphasizing the straight line between the starting and ending points.