Vectors And Scalar

Question 1

What is a vector?

Answer 1

Is a quantity that has a magnitude and a direction. E.g.:

Force,velocity,displacement,weight,acceleration and momentum.

Question 2

What is a scalar?

Answer 2

Is a quantity that has a magnitude but no direction. E.g.:

Speed,distance,mass,energy,temperature and time.

Question 3

Distance vs displacement

Answer 3

Distance is how far an object has moved whereas displacement takes into account your starting and finishing point so displacement is how far you have travelled from A to B

Question 4

Speed vs velocity

Answer 4

Speed is how fast you are going whereas velocity is you speed in a given direction.

Question 5

Typical speeds

• walking
• running
• aeroplane
• wind
• sound

Answer 5

• 1.4 m/s
• 3 m/s
• 250 m/s
• 5-20 m/s
• 340 m/s

Question 6

Weight vs mass

Answer 6

Mass is the amount of stuff in an object and will remain the same in anywhere in the universe (measured on a balance in kg) whereas weight is a force acting on a object due to gravity which varies from planet to planet, on earth it is around
10 N/kg (measured on a newton meter in newtons)