Position, Distance and Direction
Let’s take a closer look at the room below. Can you see the cute teddy bear? Can you describe where it is exactly?
When you’re telling someone where something is, you’re talking about its position. The term position is like a more official way of saying location. It’s similar to how your home address helps people find where you live.
You might notice the teddy bear is resting on the table, next to the spinning wheel. But are there other words we can use to describe the teddy bear’s position?
If we want to provide a very detailed explanation of the position, we can use two things: distance and direction. It’s a bit like giving someone clear instructions to find a hidden object!
Distance is the space that separates two things. It’s similar to when you measure your height, or how wide your bedroom is. For objects close to each other, like our teddy bear and the spinning wheel, we use smaller units like millimeters, centimeters, or inches.
For items that are further away, like the distance from your house to the park, we use bigger units like meters, feet, and yards. And for very long distances, like from one city to another, we use even larger units such as kilometers and miles.
Direction is the path from one object to another. Think of it like a map guiding us on a journey. We use words like left, right, north, south, east, and west to describe direction.
By using both distance and direction, we can provide a very precise position. It’s like a map for finding the teddy bear!
Related Printables.
Positions and Directions
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_01.small_.jpg)
Describing Motion
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_02.small_.jpg)
Estimating and Measuring Time
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_03.small_.jpg)
Measure and Describe Motion
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_04.small_.jpg)
Measure a Minute!
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_05.small_.jpg)
Measuring Speed
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_06.small_.jpg)
Force and Motion
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_07.small_.jpg)
Make a Pinball Game
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_08.small_.jpg)
How Does Friction Affect Motion?
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_09.small_.jpg)
Is Friction Helpful or a Hindrance?
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_10.small_.jpg)
Can a Magnetic Force Act at a Distance?
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_11.small_.jpg)
A Magnetic Solution
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_12.small_.jpg)
Observing Electrical Force
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_13.small_.jpg)
Gravity and Air Resistance
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_14.small_.jpg)
Contact and Non-contact Forces
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_15.small_.jpg)
Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_16.small_.jpg)
Effects of Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_17.small_.jpg)
How Will It Move?
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_18.small_.jpg)
Review – Interactions and Forces
![](https://ngscience.com/wp-content/uploads/3-NGScience-interactions-and-forces_19.small_.jpg)
Assessment Pack
• printable PDF
• answer key
• marking guide