VECTOR

VECTOR
1 .
1.1

1.2

2.

SCALAR

AND

VECTOR

QUANTITIES

The physical quantities are two types : scalar and vector.

Scaler quantities : The quantities which have only magnitude, and no direction, are called scalar quantities, e.g. mass, distance, time, speed, volume, density, pressure, work, energy, power, charge, electric
current, temperature, potential, specific heat, frequency etc.
Vector quantities : Certain quantities have both magnitude and direction, e.g. position, displacement,
velocity, acceleration, force, weight, momentum, impulse, electric field, magnetic field, current density,
etc. Such quantities are called vector quantities
TYPES
OF
VECTOR
(a) Polar - Vectors : have starting point (like displacement) or a point of application (like force)
A

Ex. 0
(b) Axial - Vectors : Rotational effects are represented by axial vectors. They are
along axis of rotation, direction denoted by right hand thumb rule or right hand screw
rule.
Ex. Angular displacement, angular velocity, torque, angular momentum.

3.

SOME

OTHER

TYPES

OF

is
O D
Starting
point

nt
me
e
c
pla

VECTOR

[a] Negative of a vector : It has direction just opposite to given vector and have same magnitude fig.(a)

fig. (a)

fig. (b)

fig. (c)

fig. (d)

[b] Zero vector or null vector : A vector will zero magnitude having no specific direction is called zero
vector fig.(b)

(i) Multiplying a vector by zero. i.e. 0( A ) = 0

(ii) By adding a negative vector to the given vector. A + ( A ) = 0