scalars and vectors Flashcards
What is a scalar quantity?
A scalar quantity is a physical quantity that has magnitude only and no direction.
What is a vector quantity?
A vector quantity is a physical quantity that has both magnitude and direction.
True or False: Speed is a scalar quantity.
True
True or False: Velocity is a vector quantity.
True
Fill in the blank: The formula for calculating distance is __________.
Distance = Speed × Time
What is the difference between distance and displacement?
Distance is a scalar quantity representing the total path length, while displacement is a vector quantity representing the shortest path between two points.
What is the unit of measurement for vectors in physics?
The unit of measurement for vectors can vary, but common units include meters (m) for displacement, meters per second (m/s) for velocity, and newtons (N) for force.
What is the resultant vector?
The resultant vector is the vector sum of two or more vectors.
In vector addition, what is the head-to-tail method?
The head-to-tail method involves placing the tail of one vector at the head of another to determine the resultant vector.
True or False: When adding vectors, their magnitudes must be the same.
False
What does it mean to resolve a vector?
To resolve a vector means to break it down into its components, typically along the x and y axes.
What is the Pythagorean theorem used for in vector analysis?
The Pythagorean theorem is used to calculate the magnitude of a resultant vector from its perpendicular components.
Fill in the blank: The formula for finding the magnitude of a resultant vector R from components Ax and Ay is __________.
R = √(Ax² + Ay²)
What direction does a vector pointing east represent?
A vector pointing east represents motion or force directed towards the east.
True or False: All scalar quantities can be represented as a vector.
False
What is the significance of the angle in vector components?
The angle helps determine the direction of the vector components when resolving a vector.
What is the difference between uniform motion and accelerated motion?
Uniform motion occurs at a constant speed in a straight line, while accelerated motion involves a change in velocity.
What is speed?
Speed is the distance traveled per unit of time, a scalar quantity.
What is the formula for average velocity?
Average velocity = (Final position - Initial position) / Time interval
What is the impact of direction on velocity?
Velocity is affected by direction; two objects can have the same speed but different velocities if they move in different directions.
Fill in the blank: The vector quantity that describes the rate of change of position is called __________.
Velocity
What are the two components of a vector in a two-dimensional plane?
The two components of a vector in a two-dimensional plane are the horizontal (x) and vertical (y) components.
What does it mean for two vectors to be orthogonal?
Two vectors are orthogonal if they are perpendicular to each other, meaning their dot product is zero.
True or False: The net force acting on an object is a scalar quantity.
False
What is the principle of superposition in vector addition?
The principle of superposition states that the resultant vector is the sum of all individual vectors acting on a point.
