Scalar and Vector Quantities

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What is a scalar quantity?
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A scalar quantity has only magnitude and no direction, such as speed or temperature.
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What is a vector quantity?
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A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction, such as velocity or force.
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Give two examples of scalar quantities.
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Examples of scalar quantities are temperature and mass.
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Give two examples of vector quantities.
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Examples of vector quantities are acceleration and force.
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How do you represent a vector quantity graphically?
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A vector is represented by an arrow; the length represents magnitude, and the arrow points in the direction.
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What is the difference between speed and velocity?
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Speed is a scalar quantity, while velocity is a vector quantity with magnitude and direction.
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Can scalar quantities be negative?
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Generally, scalar quantities can't be negative, except for temperature (in Celsius) or potential energy levels.
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What does it mean when vectors are added together?
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When vectors are added, their magnitudes and directions combine to form a resultant vector.
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What is the meaning of 'magnitude' in vectors?
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Magnitude refers to the size or length of a vector.
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Is distance a scalar or vector quantity?
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Distance is a scalar quantity because it only has magnitude, not direction.
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Is displacement a scalar or vector quantity?
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Displacement is a vector quantity because it includes both magnitude and direction.
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Explain the term 'resultant vector'.
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A resultant vector is the single vector that has the same effect as the combined vectors it represents.
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How does one calculate the resultant of two perpendicular vectors?
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Use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the magnitude: c = √(a² + b²).
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What is the difference between distance and displacement?
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Distance is the total path traveled (scalar); displacement is the straight-line distance starting from the initial to the final point (vector).
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What unit is commonly used for vectors in physics?
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Vectors often use units like meters per second (m/s) for velocity or newtons (N) for force.
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