Read each statement below carefully and state with reasons, if it is true or false:

(a) The magnitude of a vector is always a scalar, (b) each component of a vector is always a scalar, (c) the total path length is always equal to the magnitude of the displacement vector of a particle. (d) the average speed of a particle (defined as total path length divided by the time taken to cover the path) is either greater or equal to the magnitude of average velocity of the particle over the same interval of time, (e) Three vectors not lying in a plane can never add up to give a null vector.

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Solution

Answer:

(a) True

(b) False

(c) False

(d) True

(e) True

Explanation:

(a) The magnitude of a vector is a number. Hence, it is a scalar.

(b) Each component of a vector is also a vector.

(c) Total path length is a scalar quantity, whereas displacement is a vector quantity. Hence, the total path length is always greater than the magnitude of displacement. It becomes equal to the magnitude of displacement only when a particle is moving in a straight line.

(d) It is because of the fact that the total path length is always greater than or equal to the magnitude of displacement of a particle.

(e) Three vectors, which do not lie in a plane, cannot be represented by the sides of a triangle taken in the same order.

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Similar questions

Read each statement below carefully and state with reasons, if it is true or false :

(a) The magnitude of a vector is always a scalar,

(b) Each component of a vector is always a scalar,

(d) the average speed of a particle (defined as total path length divided by the time taken to cover the path) is either greater or equal to the magnitude of average velocity of the particle over the same interval of time,

(e) Three vectors not lying in a plane can never add up to give a null vector.

Q. State the following statement is True or False:
The total path length is always equal to the magnitude of the displacement vector of a particle.

Explain clearly, with examples, the distinction between:
a) magnitude of displacement (sometimes called distance) over an interval of time, and the total length of path covered by a particle over the same interval;
b) magnitude of average velocity over an interval of time, and the average speed over the same interval. [Average speed of a particle over an interval of time is defined as the total path length divided by the time interval]. Show in both (a) and (b) that the second quantity is either greater than or equal to the first.
When is the equality sign true? [For simplicity, consider one-dimensional motion only].

Q. Assertion :The average speed of an object is greater than or equal to the magnitude of the average velocity over a given time interval Reason: The two are equal only if the path length is equal to the magnitude of displacement.