Lesson 2.
1
Scalar and Vector
Quantities
General Physics 11/2
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
In science, you will encounter varying physical
quantities. Some of these quantities are
accompanied by directions, others are not.
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What are vector quantities and
why is specifying the direction
important?
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Learning Competency
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:
Differentiate vector and scalar quantities
(STEM_GP12V-Ia-8).
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Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Differentiate vector from scalar quantities.
● Identify examples of scalar and vector quantities.
● Represent vector quantities using arrows in a
Cartesian plane.
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Physical Quantities
Quantities can be classified based on
how they are presented.
Two types of physical quantities:
● scalar quantities
● vector quantities
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How do scalar quantities differ
from vector quantities?
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Physical Quantities
Boiling water is obviously hot. What is the temperature of a
boiling water?
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Physical Quantities
The temperature of an object is measured by a
thermometer.
A thermometer provides readings like this:
25 C
0
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Physical Quantities
Scalar Quantity
A scalar quantity is a physical quantity that has magnitude
(size or quantity) but no direction. Temperature is a scalar
quantity.
25 C
0
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Physical Quantities
Scalar Quantity
It is described by a single number with its appropriate unit.
single number
25 C
0
unit
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Physical Quantities
Scalar Quantity
Other examples of scalar quantities are mass, time, distance,
speed, density, and volume.
single number
15 kg unit
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Physical Quantities
Suppose you have an apple and an orange with the masses
provided below.
apple, 136 grams orange, 262 grams
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Physical Quantities
What is the total mass when you carry an apple and an
orange?
136 grams
+ 262 grams
398 grams
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Physical Quantities
Scalar quantities can be added or subtracted using the rules
of ordinary arithmetic.
136 grams
+ 262 grams
398 grams
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Physical Quantities
Vector Quantity
A vector quantity is a physical quantity with
both magnitude and direction.
Magnitude describes the quantity or the size
of the physical quantity while direction
describes how the vector is oriented relative
to a reference point.
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Physical Quantities
Suppose you wanted to describe the velocity of a car.
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Physical Quantities
The car is moving at a speed of 30 m/s.
Speed is a scalar quantity.
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Physical Quantities
The car is moving at a speed of 30 m/s, eastward.
Velocity is a vector quantity.
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What are other examples of a
vector quantity?
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Representing Vector Quantities
Vectors are represented by a single letter with an arrow
above them.
speed velocity
scalar quantity vector quantity
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Representing Vector Quantities
The magnitude of vectors is represented by the same letter
used in a vector quantity.
The magnitude is a scalar quantity and it is always positive.
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How do we represent vector
quantities?
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Representing Vector Quantities
Suppose you have initial point, P1, and final point, P2.
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Representing Vector Quantities
There are many ways to go from P1 to P2. All of them are
different distances.
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Representing Vector Quantities
But the shortest distance is defined as displacement.
longer distance shorter distance
(the shortest, actually)
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Representing Vector Quantities
Displacement is a vector quantity, and it is represented by
an arrow.
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Representing Vector Quantities
The length of the arrow represents the vector’s magnitude.
shorter arrow,
smaller magnitude
longer arrow,
bigger magnitude
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Representing Vector Quantities
The arrowhead indicates the direction of the vector.
going more north
than east
going more east
than north
A more accurate description requires the use of xy planes. 36
Representing Vector Quantities
Rules in Representing Vectors
1. Begin by deciding on the scale that you want to use.
Scale: 1 cm = 1 km
This 5-cm arrow is 5 km in reality.
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Representing Vector Quantities
Rules in
Representing
Vectors
2. Identify where
to place the
vector based
on its
direction.
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Representing Vector Quantities
The direction of
the vector is
expressed as an
angle of rotation
either from the
north, south,
east, or west.
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Representing Vector Quantities
By default,
angles are
measured
from the
east
direction.
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Let’s Practice!
Illustrate the displacement of an
insect that crawled 3 cm to the
west.
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Let’s Practice!
Illustrate the displacement of an insect that crawled
3 cm to the west.
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Try It!
A mosquito flew 6 cm,
upward. Illustrate its
displacement using an
arrow.
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Let’s Practice!
A car moved 12.5 km, 35° south
of west. Illustrate this
displacement.
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Let’s Practice!
A car moved 12.5 km, 35° south of west. Illustrate
this displacement.
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Try It!
A person traveled a total
of 28 km, 85° south of
east. Illustrate the
vector.
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Let’s Practice!
Car A covered 550 km, 195°
while car B traveled 250 km, 40°
south of west. Illustrate the
vectors in one cartesian plane.
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Let’s Practice!
Car A covered 550 km, 195° while car B traveled 250
km, 40° south of west. Illustrate the vectors in one
cartesian plane.
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Try It!
Leo and Alex are training for a
marathon in two different
locations. Leo covered 54 km,
110° while Alex covered a
displacement of 60 km, 78°
south of east. Illustrate the
displacements in one cartesian
plane. 49
Let’s Sum It Up!
● A scalar quantity is a physical quantity that has
magnitude but no direction. Examples include
distance, mass, and density.
● A vector quantity is a physical quantity with both
magnitude and direction. Examples include
displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
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Let’s Sum It Up!
● A vector can be represented by an arrow. The
length of the arrow represents the magnitude
while the arrowhead points to the direction of the
vector.
● There are two conventions used to describe the
direction of the vector.
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Challenge Yourself
Explain how it is possible for
a distance to have value
while its displacement is
zero.
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Bibliography
Bauer, W., and Gary D. Westfall. University Physics with Modern Physics. New York: McGraw-Hill,
2013.
Faughn, Jerry S. and Raymond A. Serway. Serway’s College Physics (7th ed). Singapore: Brooks/Cole,
2006.
Knight, Randall Dewey. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: a Strategic Approach with Modern
Physics. Pearson, 2017.
Serway, Raymond A. and John W. Jewett, Jr. Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics (9th
ed). USA: Brooks/Cole, 2014.
Young, Hugh D., Roger A. Freedman, and A. Lewis Ford. Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics with
Modern Physics (13th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2012.
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