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What is the difference between scalars and vector quantities. Give two examples of each. |
Scalar quantities are the measurements that strictly refer to the magnitude of the medium. There are absolutely no directional components in a scalar quantity - only the magnitude of the medium. It is the measurement of a medium strictly in magnitude. Time - Scalar quantities often refer to time; the measurement of years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds, and even milliseconds. Volume - Scalar quantity can refer to the volume of the medium, as in how much of the medium is present. Vector quantities, however, refer to both the direction of the medium’s movement as well as the measurement of the scalar quantity. Increase/Decrease in Temperature - The measurement of the medium’s temperature is a scalar quantity; the measurement of the increase or decrease in the medium’s temperature is a vector quantity. Velocity - The measurement of the rate at which an object changes position is a vector quantity. |