All Flashcards
What is the key difference between scalars and vectors?
Scalars have only magnitude, while vectors have both magnitude and direction.
Compare distance and displacement.
Distance: Scalar, total path length. Displacement: Vector, change in position from start to end.
Compare speed and velocity.
Speed: Scalar, rate of motion. Velocity: Vector, rate of motion with direction.
Differentiate between mass and weight.
Mass: Scalar, amount of matter in an object. Weight: Vector, force of gravity on an object.
Compare using vector notation in 1D vs 2D.
1D: +/- signs indicate direction. 2D: Use components or magnitude and angle.
What is the difference between distance and displacement?
Distance: Total path length traveled. Displacement: Change in position from the starting point, including direction.
What is the difference between speed and velocity?
Speed: How fast an object is moving (scalar). Velocity: How fast and in what direction an object is moving (vector).
Compare scalar and vector addition.
Scalar addition: Simple arithmetic. Vector addition: Requires considering both magnitude and direction, often using components.
How do scalars and vectors differ in mathematical operations?
Scalars: Obey standard algebraic rules. Vectors: Require special rules (e.g., vector addition, dot product, cross product).
Contrast the use of + and - signs for scalars vs. vectors in 1D.
Scalars: + and - indicate positive or negative values. Vectors: + and - indicate direction along a line.
What is a scalar quantity?
A quantity with only magnitude (size).
What is a vector quantity?
A quantity with both magnitude and direction.
Define displacement.
The distance an object is from its starting point, with a direction.
Define velocity.
How fast something is moving in a specific direction.
What is a unit vector?
A vector with a magnitude of 1, used to represent direction (e.g., , , ).
What is speed?
How fast something is moving, irrespective of direction.