How will you distinguish between a vector quantity and scalar quantity ?
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Scalar Quantity :-
The quantities which have only magnitude are known as scalar quantities .
For example :- Distance , Speed etc .
Vector Quantities :-
The quantities which have Direction as well as magnitude are referred to vector Quantities.
For example :- Displacement , Velocity etc .
Special Case :-
Let a scalar quantity i.e current . But how it is not vector a scalar ? Because it have both magnitude and direction but still it is a scalar quantity . It is because Current Didn't Follow rule of Vector addition .
So , The quantities which follows the rule of Vector addition are known as vector Quantities . The quantity is not vector whether it has both magnitude and direction .
Explanation:
A scalar quantity is different from a vector quantity in terms of direction. Scalars don’t have direction whereas vector has. Due to this feature, the scalar quantity can be said to be represented in one dimensional whereas a vector quantity can be multi-dimensional.
Scalar Quantity :
- It has only the magnitude
- Only one dimensional
- This quantity changes with the change in magnitude
- Normal rules of algebra are applicable here
- One scalar quantity can divide another scalar
- In the example of speed, time, etc, the distance between the points is a scalar quantity, not the direction
Vector Quantity :
- It has direction and magnitude
- It is multidimensional
- This changes with magnitude and direction
- There is a different set of rules known as vector algebra
- One vector cannot divide another vector
- Velocity could be an example because it is a measurement of the rate of change of an object’s position