Difference Between Linear and Rectilinear Motion

The key difference between linear and rectilinear motion is given below:

Linear Motion

Rectilinear Motion

Linear motion is defined as when a body is moving in a straight line or along a curved line in a plane.

Rectilinear motion is defined as a phenomenon in which a body is moving only along a straight line. 

Examples of Linear Motion are,

  • Athletes running along the straight line.
  • Skating or swimming done by any person possesses linear motion. 

Examples of Rectilinear Motion are,

  • Falling of objects from a certain height.
  • Ants moving in a straight line.

It is along any curve line or straight line in a plane.

It is only along a straight line in a plane.

It has non-zero acceleration.

It has zero acceleration.

It is also called translation motion.

It is a type of linear motion.

There are two types of linear motion.

  1. Rectilinear Motion.
  2. Curvilinear Motion.

There are three types of Rectilinear Motion.

  1. Uniform Rectilinear Motion.
  2. Uniformly accelerated rectilinear motion.
  3. Non uniformly accelerated rectilinear motion.

Related Articles:

Rectilinear Motion

Rectilinear motion refers to the motion of an object along a straight line. In rectilinear motion, the object’s position changes with respect to time, but its path remains linear, following a single dimension.

This article discusses rectilinear motion, its characteristics, equations, types, laws, differences from linear motion, and frequently asked questions.

Table of Content

  • What is Rectilinear Motion?
  • Equations of Motion for Rectilinear Motion
  • Types of Rectilinear Motion
  • Laws Related to Rectilinear Motion
  • Difference Between Linear and Rectilinear Motion

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