Is kinetic energy scalar or vector?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking whether kinetic energy is classified as a scalar quantity or a vector quantity. Kinetic energy is defined in physics based on the mass of an object and its velocity, but it does not have a direction, which is a key characteristic of scalar quantities.
Answer
kinetic energy is a scalar quantity
The final answer is kinetic energy is a scalar quantity.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is kinetic energy is a scalar quantity.
More Information
Kinetic energy is scalar because it depends only on the magnitude of velocity and not on its direction. The formula for kinetic energy is (1/2)mv^2, where 'v' is the velocity. Squaring the velocity, a vector, results in a scalar quantity.
Tips
A common mistake is assuming that because velocity is a vector, kinetic energy should be too. It is important to remember that the squaring of velocity removes any directionality, making kinetic energy scalar.
Sources
- Why is Kinetic Energy a Scalar Quantity? - BYJU'S - byjus.com
- Why is Kinetic Energy a Scalar? - Vedantu - vedantu.com
