Question

Which of the following are vectors and which are scalars: distance, mass, time, weight, volume, density, speed, velocity, acceleration, force, temperature and energy?

Answer 1

Hint: A scalar quantity, such as mass or electric charge, is defined as a physical quantity with just magnitude. A vector quantity, on the other hand, is a physical quantity that has both magnitude and direction, such as force and weight.

Complete step-by-step solution:
Explanation:
The magnitude and direction of vector values are both present.
There is only one magnitude for a scalar quantity.
Distance: A scalar quantity is distance. It simply refers to the distance travelled by an object. \[4ft.\] , for example, is a measurement of distance but not of direction. It's a bit of a stretch to suggest a thing went \[4ft.\] . For example, if the object moved \[4ft.\] west, this would be a displacement and hence a vector quantity. It provides a more comprehensive picture of what occurred.
Mass: A scalar quantity is mass. Simply expressed, it refers to the amount of substance that makes up a thing. It is large, but it gives no indication of direction in any way. Weight is the vector counterpart to mass.
Weight: The term "weight" refers to a vector quantity. Weighing anything is a force, and forces are vectors, meaning they have both magnitude and direction. \[W = {\overrightarrow F _g} = mg\] , the product of the object's mass and the free-fall acceleration constant, g, or simply equal to the force of gravity acting on the object, gives the perceived weight of an object at rest on Earth. Gravitational force acts downward.
Time: The quantity of time is a scalar quantity (as far as we are concerned at this level). It provides magnitude information, i.e. how much time has passed, but no direction information.
Volume: A scalar quantity is volume. It denotes the amount of space occupied by an object and hence has magnitude, but it provides no information regarding direction.
Density: Density is a scalar quantity, having only magnitude and giving no information about direction. We can also reason that, because density is equal to mass divided by volume and both mass and volume are scalar quantities, density must also be a scalar quantity.
Speed: Speed is a scalar quantity, having only magnitude and giving no information about direction. For example, \[40m{s^{ - 1}}\] is a speed, it tells us how fast an object is traveling, but nothing about which direction the object is traveling in. The vector counterpart to speed is velocity.
Velocity: Velocity is a vector quantity. Velocities have both magnitude and direction. For example, \[40m{s^{ - 1}}\] NE is a velocity.
Acceleration: Acceleration is a vector quantity. Acceleration has both magnitude and direction. For example, \[9.8m{s^{ - 2}}\;\] downward or \[ - 9.8m{s^{ - 2}}\;\] vertically is an acceleration.
Force: Force is a vector quantity. Force has both magnitude and direction. Weight is an example of force given above. Another is the force of friction, which has some magnitude and acts in the direction opposite that of motion.

Temperature: Temperature is a scalar quantity. A measurement of temperature has magnitude, but gives no information about direction.
Energy: Energy is a scalar quantity. It gives information about magnitude, e.g. how much energy an object has, but none about direction.

Note: One thing should be taken on note that When discussing intervals or how quantities vary, keep in mind that certain quantities that are alone scalars can be expressed as vectors (e.g. measure of increase or decrease).