LESSON: Vector & Scalar Quantities

Watch the following description of vectors & scalars:

So in other words... 

Scalar Quantities

When we talk about quantities being scalar we are talking about a quantity that only requires a magnitude. Magnitude is simply a fancy word used to describe the size of something. In fact magnitude and size could be considered synonyms to each other. One hint for recognizing a scalar quantity is that it is represented by a number only.

Vector Quantities

When we talk about quantities being vectors we are talking about a quantity that require BOTH a magnitude and direction. The vector quantity must always have a direction. This direction can be measured in many different ways. To indicate direction we can use compass coordinates (north, south, east, west), angles (90 degrees…), right, left, up, or down. Vectors are often represented by arrows. The size of the arrow represents the magnitude of the vector. The direction of the vector is indicated by the direction the arrow is pointing.

The following table lists examples of scalar and vector quantities.

https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/vectors.html

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