search box

Custom Search

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

SCALARS AND VECTORS

The quantities which can be measured are known as physical quantities. They are divided into two types.
1. Scalar quantities
2. Vector quantities or vectors.
SCALARS
Physical quantities which can be completely specified by number with suitable unit, without the mention of direction are known as scalars. The number representing the physical quantity is called its magnitude. Thus scalars can  also be defined as "The physical quantities which have only magnitude but no direction"
Examples of scalars are mass, volume, density, temperature, energy, electric potential, charge, time and distance etc.
VECTORS
Physical quantities which can be completely specified by a number with a suitable unit and direction are known as vectors. They can also be defined as "Physical quantities which have magnitude as well as direction are known as vectors"
Examples of such quantities are torque, acceleration, force, velocity, displacement, momentum and electric intensity etc.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...