Lesson 2.

Scalar and Vector

Quantities

General Physics 1/2

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Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Have you experienced commuting or traveling to
an unfamiliar place but after a while you realized
you were lost?

2
When traveling from
one place to another it
is not only important
to know how far it is
but you also need to
know the direction
you should follow to
reach your desired
location.
3
Today, simple street
maps and online
maps in your phones
can easily give
directions and
instructions for you to
reach your
destination.
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In science, you will encounter varying physical
quantities. Some of these quantities are
accompanied by directions, others are not.

5
What are vector quantities and
why is specifying the direction
important?

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Learning Competency
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:

Differentiate vector and scalar quantities

(STEM_GP12V-Ia-8).

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 Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:

● Differentiate vector from scalar quantities.

● Identify examples of scalar and vector quantities.

● Represent vector quantities using arrows in a

Cartesian plane.

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Physical Quantities

Can you
describe
these lily
pads?

9
Physical Quantities

They are
rounded,
green, and
they float on
water.

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Physical Quantities

Can you
measure
their
diameters?
How will you
report their
diameters?

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Physical Quantities

Can you
measure the
forces they
exert on the
water? How
will you
report these
forces?
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 Physical Quantities

Quantities can be classified based on how they are

presented.

Two types of physical quantities:

● scalar quantities
● vector quantities

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How do scalar quantities differ
from vector quantities?

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 Physical Quantities

Boiling water is obviously hot. What is the temperature of a

boiling water?

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 Physical Quantities

The temperature of an object is measured by a

thermometer.

A thermometer provides readings like this:

25 C 0
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 Physical Quantities

Scalar Quantity
A scalar quantity is a physical quantity that has magnitude
(size or quantity) but no direction. Temperature is a scalar
quantity.

25 C 0
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 Physical Quantities

Scalar Quantity
It is described by a single number with its appropriate unit.

single number

25 C 0
unit

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 Physical Quantities

Scalar Quantity
Other examples of scalar quantities are mass, time, distance,
speed, density, and volume.

single number

15 kg unit
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 Physical Quantities

Suppose you have an apple and an orange with the masses

provided below.

apple, 136 grams orange, 262 grams

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 Physical Quantities

What is the total mass when you carry an apple and an

orange?

136 grams
+ 262 grams
398 grams
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 Physical Quantities

Scalar quantities can be added or subtracted using the rules

of ordinary arithmetic.

136 grams
+ 262 grams
398 grams
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 Physical Quantities

Vector Quantity
A vector quantity is a physical quantity with both magnitude
and direction.

Magnitude describes the quantity or the size of the physical

quantity while direction describes how the vector is oriented
relative to a reference point.

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 Physical Quantities

Suppose you wanted to describe the velocity of a car.

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 Physical Quantities

The car is moving at a speed of 30 m/s.

Speed is a scalar quantity.

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 Physical Quantities

The car is moving at a speed of 30 m/s, eastward.

Velocity is a vector quantity.

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What are other examples of a
vector quantity?

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 Representing Vector Quantities

Vectors are represented by a single letter with an arrow

above them.

speed velocity
scalar quantity vector quantity

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 Representing Vector Quantities

The magnitude of vectors is represented by the same letter

used in a vector quantity.

The magnitude is a scalar quantity and it is always positive.

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How do we represent vector
quantities?

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 Representing Vector Quantities

Suppose you have initial point, P1, and final point, P2.

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 Representing Vector Quantities

There are many ways to go from P1 to P2. All of them are

different distances.

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 Representing Vector Quantities

But the shortest distance is defined as displacement.

longer distance shorter distance

(the shortest, actually)
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 Representing Vector Quantities

Displacement is a vector quantity, and it is represented by

an arrow.

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 Representing Vector Quantities

The length of the arrow represents the vector’s magnitude.

shorter arrow,
smaller magnitude

longer arrow,
bigger magnitude

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 Representing Vector Quantities

The arrowhead indicates the direction of the vector.

going more north

than east

going more east

than north

A more accurate description requires the use of xy planes. 36

 Representing Vector Quantities

Rules in Representing Vectors

1. Begin by deciding on the scale that you want to use.

Scale: 1 cm = 1 km

This 5-cm arrow is 5 km in reality.

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Representing Vector Quantities

Rules in
Representing
Vectors
2. Identify where
to place the
vector based on
its direction.

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Representing Vector Quantities

The direction of the

vector is expressed
as an angle of
rotation either from
the north, south,
east, or west.

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Representing Vector Quantities

By default, angles
are measured from
the east direction.

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 Let’s Practice!

Illustrate the displacement of an insect that crawled

3 cm to the west.

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 Let’s Practice!

Illustrate the displacement of an insect that crawled

3 cm to the west.

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Try It!

A mosquito flew 6 cm, upward. Illustrate

its displacement using an arrow.

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 Let’s Practice!

A car moved 12.5 km, 35° south of west. Illustrate this

displacement.

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 Let’s Practice!

A car moved 12.5 km, 35° south of west. Illustrate this

displacement.

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Try It!

A person traveled a total of 28 km, 85°

south of east. Illustrate the vector.

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 Let’s Practice!

Car A covered 550 km, 195° while car B traveled 250

km, 40° south of west. Illustrate the vectors in one
cartesian plane.

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 Let’s Practice!

Car A covered 550 km, 195° while car B traveled 250

km, 40° south of west. Illustrate the vectors in one
cartesian plane.

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Try It!

Leo and Alex are training for a

marathon in two different locations. Leo
covered 54 km, 110° while Alex covered
a displacement of 60 km, 78° south of
east. Illustrate the displacements in one
cartesian plane.

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 Check Your Understanding

Illustrate the given vectors in one cartesian plane.

1. 65 km, 350°

2. 120 km, 25°

3. 84 km, 50° north of west

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 Let’s Sum It Up!

● A scalar quantity is a physical quantity that has

magnitude but no direction. Examples include
distance, mass, and density.

● A vector quantity is a physical quantity with both

magnitude and direction. Examples include
displacement, velocity, and acceleration.

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 Let’s Sum It Up!

● A vector can be represented by an arrow. The

length of the arrow represents the magnitude
while the arrowhead points to the direction of the
vector.

● There are two conventions used to describe the

direction of the vector.
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Challenge Yourself

Explain how it is possible for a

distance to have value while its
displacement is zero.

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Bibliography

Bauer, W., and Gary D. Westfall. University Physics with Modern Physics. New York: McGraw-Hill,
2013.

Faughn, Jerry S. and Raymond A. Serway. Serway’s College Physics (7th ed). Singapore: Brooks/Cole,
2006.

Knight, Randall Dewey. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: a Strategic Approach with Modern
Physics. Pearson, 2017.

Serway, Raymond A. and John W. Jewett, Jr. Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics (9th
ed). USA: Brooks/Cole, 2014.

Young, Hugh D., Roger A. Freedman, and A. Lewis Ford. Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics with
Modern Physics (13th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2012.

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