What is the difference between a vector and a scalar quantity?

A vector describes both magnitude and direction, whereas a scalar only describes the magnitude. A common example is speed and velocity. Speed is a scalar, it describes only how fast something is going and velocity also describes the direction in which it is going. Another example for a scalar quantity is temperature. Temperature obviously has a magnitude, but there is no direction, no change. Force, however, is a vector quantity. It isn't just important how big the force is, but also in which direction it is applied. Whether I push a ball to the right, or to the left makes a difference and this is the information that a vector carries when we say it describes direction - in addition to magnitude.

Answered by Patricia K. Physics tutor

1514 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

I have an infinite number of glass blocks stacked side by side. The first block has refractive index n1, the second n2 and so on, such that n1<n2...<n(infinity). I shine a light on the stack, what angle does the ray make to the normal on the last block?


The speed of water moving through a turbine is 2.5 m/s. Show that the mass of water passing through an area of 500 metres squared in one second is about 1 x 10^6 kg (density of sea water = 1030 kg/m^3)


A ball is released from height h w.r.t. the ground. Draw a qualitative height versus time diagram of the ball bouncing in a non-ideal case.


What's the moment of a force and why would I need to understand it?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences