A scalar quantity is a quantity that has magnitude only.A vector quantity is a quantity that has magnitude and direction.Example of vector quantities are force, acceleration, displacement, velocity.Vector quantities obey vector addition and subtraction laws like the triangle law and parallelogram law.Any quantity that is derived from a scalar × a vector is a vector quantity. Momentum (mass × velocity) is a vector quantity.Examples of scalar quantities are mass and energy.Any quantity that is derived from a scalar × a scalar is a scalar quantity.Work done (force × displacement) is derived from two vectors but is a scalar quantity.In one dimension, positive and negative signs are used to indicate the direction of vector quantities; which direction is positive is assigned arbitrarily.
Scalars and Vectors
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Specification: Edexcel Physics (8PH0), AS-level, Topic 2: Mechanics, statement 12. Topic: Motion.
More in Motion
- Speed and Velocity
- Average and Instantaneous Speed
- Acceleration
- Displacement -Time and Distance-Time Graphs
- Velocity-Time Graphs
- Acceleration-Time Graphs
- Adding Forces
- The Parallelogram Rule
All 31 lessons in Motion · All Edexcel AS-level Physics topics