Question

What is a scalar quantity? What is a vector quantity? give examples of each.

Answer 1

Scalar Quantity:-

1. A scalar quantity is a physical quantity with only magnitude and no direction.
2. Such physical quantities can be described just by their numerical value without directions.
3. The addition of these physical quantities follows the simple rules of algebra, and here, only their magnitudes are added.

Some examples of scalar quantity are:

1. Mass
2. Speed
3. Distance
4. Time
5. Volume
6. Density
7. Temperature

Vector Quantity

1. A vector quantity is defined as the physical quantity that has both directions and magnitude.
2. A vector with a magnitude value equal to one is called a unit vector and is represented by a lowercase alphabet with a “hat” i.e. “$\hat{u}$“.

Examples of vector quantity are:

1. Linear momentum
2. Acceleration
3. Displacement
4. Momentum
5. Force

Example:- Speed is a scalar quantity, but velocity is a vector that specifies both a direction as well as a magnitude. The speed is the magnitude of the velocity. A car has a velocity of 20m/s east. It has a speed of 20m/s.