PHYA11H3 Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Vectors and Coordinate Systems

• School: UTSC
• Department: Physics and Astrophysics
• Course: PHYA11H3
• Professor: Salam Tawfiq

Document Summary

Scalar quantity: a quantity that is fully described by a single number (with units) I. e. ) mass, temperature, volume, pressure, density, energy, charge, and voltage: they are often represented by an algebraic symbol i. e. ) m will represent mass. Vector: a quantity having both a size and a direction: the mathematical term for the length, or size, of a vector is magnitude. Therefore, a vector is a quantity having magnitude and a direction. The geometric representation of a vector is an arrow, with the tail of the arrow (cid:523)not it"s tip! (cid:524) placed at the point where the measurement is made. The magnitude of a vector is sometimes shown using absolute value signs, but more frequently indicated by: the magnitude of a vector is a scalar quantity. It is important to get in the habit of using the arrow symbol for vectors. I. e. ) the magnitude of the velocity vector is figure 3. 1 is v= | | = 5m/s.