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 covered to reach the final position is irrelevant.
  • Particle displacement, 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), an assignment of displacement vectors for all points in a body that is displaced from one state to another
  • Electric displacement field, as appears in Maxwell's equations
  • Wien's displacement law, a relation concerning the spectral distribution of blackbody radiation
  • Angular displacement, a change in orientation of a rigid body, the amount of rotation about a fixed axis.

Engineering

  • Engine displacement, the total volume of air/fuel mixture an engine can draw in during one complete engine cycle
  • Displacement (fluid), an object immersed in a fluid pushes the fluid out of the way
  • Positive displacement meter, a pump or flow meter which processes a definite fluid volume per revolution
  • Displacement has several meanings related to ships and boats
  • Displacement hull, 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 weight of a ship
  • Insulation displacement connector, a type of electrical connector
  • Displacement mapping, 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, elements/isotopes created during radioactive decay

Geology

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

Medicine

  • Displacement (orthopedic surgery), change in alignment of the fracture fragments

Social sciences

  • Displacement (linguistics), the ability of humans (and possibly some animals) to communicate ideas that are remote in time and/or space
  • Forced displacement, by persecution or violence
  • Displacement (psychology), a sub-conscious defense mechanism
  • Displacement (parapsychology), a statistical or qualitative correspondence between targets and responses.
  • Development-induced displacement, the displacement of population for economic development
  • Displacement may occur during gentrification.

Sport

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

Economy

  • Layoff

Other

  • Child displacement

See also

  • Offset (disambiguation)
  • Transformation (geometry)