Displacement may refer to:

Physical sciences

Mathematics and physics

Displacement (geometry) In geometry and mechanics, a displacement is a vector whose length is the shortest distance from the initial to the final position of a point P undergoing motion. It quantifies both the distance and direction of the net or total motion along ...

, is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path covered to reach the final position is irrelevant. **

Particle displacement Particle displacement or displacement amplitude is a measurement of distance of the movement of a sound particle from its equilibrium position in a medium as it transmits a sound wave. The SI unit of particle displacement is the metre (m). In m ...

, a measurement of distance of the movement of a particle in a medium as it transmits a wave (represented in mathematics by the lower-case Greek letter ξ) **

Displacement field (mechanics) In mechanics, a displacement field is the assignment of displacement vectors for all points in a region or body that are displaced from one state to another. A displacement vector specifies the position of a point or a particle in reference to a ...

, an assignment of displacement vectors for all points in a body that is displaced from one state to another **

Electric displacement field In physics, the electric displacement field (denoted by D), also called electric flux density, is a vector field that appears in Maxwell's equations. It accounts for the electromagnetic effects of polarization and that of an electric field, com ...

, as appears in Maxwell's equations *

Wien's displacement law In physics, Wien's displacement law states that the black-body radiation curve for different temperatures will peak at different wavelengths that are inversely proportional to the temperature. The shift of that peak is a direct consequence of ...

, a relation concerning the spectral distribution of blackbody radiation *

Angular displacement The angular displacement (symbol θ, , or φ) – also called angle of rotation, rotational displacement, or rotary displacement – of a physical body is the angle (in units of radians, degrees, turns, etc.) through which the body rotates ( ...

, a change in orientation of a rigid body, the amount of rotation about a fixed axis.

Engineering

Engine displacement Engine displacement is the measure of the cylinder volume swept by all of the pistons of a piston engine, excluding the combustion chambers. It is commonly used as an expression of an engine's size, and by extension as an indicator of the ...

, the total volume of air/fuel mixture an engine can draw in during one complete engine cycle *

Displacement (fluid) In fluid mechanics, displacement occurs when an object is largely immersed in a fluid, pushing it out of the way and taking its place. The volume of the fluid displaced can then be measured, and from this, the volume of the immersed object can b ...

, an object immersed in a fluid pushes the fluid out of the way *

Positive displacement meter A positive displacement meter is a type of flow meter that requires fluid to mechanically displace components in the meter in order for flow measurement. Positive displacement (PD) flow meters measure the volumetric flow rate of a moving fluid ...

, a pump or flow meter which processes a definite fluid volume per revolution *Displacement has several meanings related to ships and boats **

Displacement hull A hull is the watertight body of a ship, boat, submarine, or flying boat. The hull may open at the top (such as a dinghy), or it may be fully or partially covered with a deck. Atop the deck may be a deckhouse and other superstructures, such as a ...

, where the moving hull's weight is supported by buoyancy alone and it must displace water from its path rather than planing on the water's surface ** Displacement speed, a rule of thumb for non planing watercraft to estimate their theoretical maximum speed **

Displacement (ship) The displacement or displacement tonnage of a ship is its weight. As the term indicates, it is measured indirectly, using Archimedes' principle, by first calculating the volume of water displaced by the ship, then converting that value into wei ...

, the weight of a ship * Insulation displacement connector, a type of electrical connector *

Displacement mapping Displacement mapping is an alternative computer graphics technique in contrast to bump, normal, and parallax mapping, using a texture or height map to cause an effect where the actual geometric position of points over the textured surface are ...

, a technique in 3D computer graphics

Chemistry

* Single displacement reaction, a chemical reaction concerning the exchange of ions * Double displacement reaction, a chemical reaction concerning the exchange of ions *

Radioactive displacement law of Fajans and Soddy The law of radioactive displacements, also known as Fajans's and Soddy's law, in radiochemistry and nuclear physics, is a rule governing the transmutation of elements during radioactive decay. It is named after Frederick Soddy and Kazimierz Fa ...

, elements/isotopes created during radioactive decay

Geology

*Earth Crustal Displacement, an aspect of the Pole shift hypothesis

Medicine

Displacement (orthopedic surgery) Displacement may refer to: Physical sciences Mathematics and physics * Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path ...

, change in alignment of the fracture fragments

Social sciences

Displacement (linguistics) In linguistics, displacement is the capability of language to communicate about things that are not immediately present (spatially or temporally); i.e., things that are either not here or are not here now. In 1960, Charles F. Hockett proposed di ...

, the ability of humans (and possibly some animals) to communicate ideas that are remote in time and/or space *

Forced displacement Forced displacement (also forced migration or forced relocation) is an involuntary or coerced movement of a person or people away from their home or home region. The UNHCR defines 'forced displacement' as follows: displaced "as a result of perse ...

, by persecution or violence *

Displacement (psychology) In psychology, displacement () is an Unconscious mind, unconscious defence mechanism whereby the mind substitutes either a new aim or a new Object relations theory, object for things felt in their original form to be dangerous or unacceptable. Exa ...

, a sub-conscious defense mechanism * Displacement (parapsychology), a statistical or qualitative correspondence between targets and responses. *

Development-induced displacement Development-induced displacement and resettlement (DIDR) occurs when people are forced to leave their homes in a development-driven form of forced migration. Historically, it has been associated with the construction of dams for hydroelectric power ...

, the displacement of population for economic development *

Displacement Displacement may refer to: Physical sciences Mathematics and physics *Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path ...

may occur during gentrification.

Sport

* Displacement (fencing), a movement that avoids or dodges an attack

Economy

Layoff A layoff or downsizing is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or, more commonly, a group of employees (collective layoff) for business reasons, such as personnel management or downsizing an organization ...

Other

Child displacement Child displacement is the complete removal or separation of children from their parents and immediate family or settings in which they have initially been reared. Displaced children includes varying categories of children who experience separation ...