Scalars & Vectors Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

What is a scalar quantity?

A quantity that has magnitude (size) only.
e.g. mass, speed, distance, energy

What is a vector quantity?

A quantity that has magnitude (size) and an associated direction.
e.g. force, velocity, displacement

How is a vector quantity represented in a diagram?

By an arrow: the length of the arrow represents the magnitude and the direction of the arrow represents the direction.

True or false? Speed is a vector quantity.

False. Speed is a scalar (magnitude only); velocity is the vector version.

True or false? Distance is a scalar but displacement is a vector.

True. Displacement includes a direction, distance does not.

Name three vector quantities met in the Forces topic.

Force, weight, velocity (also acceleration, displacement, momentum).