Physics Flashcards: Scalars and Vectors
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Questions and Answers

What is a scalar quantity?

A scalar has only magnitude.

Which one of the following are examples of scalar quantities? (Select all that apply)

  • Temperature (correct)
  • Displacement
  • Energy (correct)
  • Time (correct)
  • Mass (correct)
  • Distance (correct)
  • Velocity
  • Speed (correct)
  • What is a vector quantity?

    A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction.

    Which one of the following are examples of vector quantities? (Select all that apply)

    <p>Force</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If critters on Mars measure distance in boogles and time in bops, what would the units of velocity be?

    <p>boogles/bops</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Does the velocity of a ball change when it is whirled in a horizontal circle with constant speed?

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Is the velocity of a pendulum constant when it moves back and forth?

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Is the speed likely to be constant when a ball tied to a string forms a pendulum?

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the speed when a pendulum ball reverses direction?

    <p>At the turn-around points, the speed is zero.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Can the velocity of a dropped ball be constant as it falls?

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which pair of quantities will always have the same magnitude?

    <p>Instantaneous speed and instantaneous velocity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can the slope of a graph of displacement versus time be identified with?

    <p>Instantaneous velocity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can the slope of a graph of velocity versus time be identified with?

    <p>Instantaneous acceleration.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the area under the curve in a velocity versus time graph represent?

    <p>Displacement.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Will the magnitude of the average velocity of a car driven at an average speed of 50 km/hr be the same as or less than the average speed?

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can you obtain instantaneous velocity from a position versus time graph?

    <p>From the slope of the graph.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following quantities relating to motion is not a vector? Speed?

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following quantities relating to motion is not a scalar? Velocity?

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Does the velocity of a ball change when it bounces off a wall?

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Scalar Quantities

    • Scalar quantities are defined by their magnitude only, without direction.
    • Examples include speed, distance, time, energy, mass, and temperature.

    Vector Quantities

    • Vector quantities possess both magnitude and direction.
    • Examples consist of velocity, displacement, force, and acceleration.

    Units of Measurement

    • Velocity shares the same units as speed, expressed as boogles/bops if those are the units used by a hypothetical Martian species.

    Changes in Velocity

    • A ball moving in a horizontal circle with constant speed has a changing velocity due to direction alterations.
    • In pendulum motion, the ball's velocity changes because both its magnitude and direction vary as it swings.

    Speed Consistency

    • While the speed of a pendulum ball is not constant throughout its motion, it reaches zero at the points where it reverses direction.
    • A dropped ball experiences increasing speed while moving downwards due to gravitational acceleration.

    Instantaneous Measurements

    • Instantaneous speed and instantaneous velocity have the same magnitude but differ in directional context.
    • The slope of a displacement versus time graph corresponds to instantaneous velocity.
    • The slope of a velocity versus time graph correlates to instantaneous acceleration.

    Area Under Graphs

    • On a velocity versus time graph, the area under the curve represents displacement.

    Average Speed and Velocity

    • The average speed of a car is calculated as 50 km/hr, while the average velocity will either be equal to or less than this value.

    Graph Interpretation

    • Instantaneous velocity can be deduced from the slope of a position versus time graph.

    Non-vector and Non-scalar Quantities

    • Speed is categorized as a scalar quantity, whereas velocity is a vector quantity, indicating direction.

    Velocity Change upon Reflection

    • When a ball bounces back from a wall, its velocity changes due to the alteration in direction, despite maintaining the same speed before impact.

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    Description

    Test your knowledge on scalar and vector quantities with these flashcards. Learn the definitions, examples, and differences between scalars and vectors in physics. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their understanding of fundamental concepts in physics.

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