Which of the following best defines displacement?

• A. The act of removing someone or something from the place it held or lived previously
• B. The distance traveled by an object
• C. The replacement of a person in a job
• D. The state of being displaced

Answer: (A)

Displacement centers on moving something from its usual position. The best choice captures this idea by defining displacement as the act of removing someone or something from the place it held or lived previously. That reflects the common sense use of the word: to displace is to push or force out of an occupied position.

The other notions drift into related but distinct ideas. The distance traveled by an object describes a measure of motion, not the act of moving someone out of a place. Replacement in a job refers to substituting one person for another, which is a different concept. The state of being displaced describes the outcome or condition after displacement—it's related, but it’s not the action itself, which is what the term is most often defined as in everyday usage.