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)
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)
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If critters on Mars measure distance in boogles and time in bops, what would the units of velocity be?
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Does the velocity of a ball change when it is whirled in a horizontal circle with constant speed?
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Is the velocity of a pendulum constant when it moves back and forth?
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Is the speed likely to be constant when a ball tied to a string forms a pendulum?
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What happens to the speed when a pendulum ball reverses direction?
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Can the velocity of a dropped ball be constant as it falls?
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Which pair of quantities will always have the same magnitude?
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What can the slope of a graph of displacement versus time be identified with?
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What can the slope of a graph of velocity versus time be identified with?
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What does the area under the curve in a velocity versus time graph represent?
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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?
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How can you obtain instantaneous velocity from a position versus time graph?
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Which of the following quantities relating to motion is not a vector? Speed?
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Which of the following quantities relating to motion is not a scalar? Velocity?
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Does the velocity of a ball change when it bounces off a wall?
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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.
