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Grade 11Mechanics

How we come to know that a given physical quantity is a vector quantity or scalar quantity without the concept of dot and cross product?

Profile image of Himanshu
8 Years agoGrade 11
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1 Answer

Profile image of IHate Ppts
8 Years ago
A scalar quantity is just a number, it has no direction and has only magnitude. See, for example, distance from point A to point B is irrespective of direction. If you take B anywhere on the plane, the distance is NOT going to change. 
A vector on the other hand, has both magnitude and direction. For example, displacement. We know that displacement vector is final vector - initial vector. So, if you take a point, lets (x,y) and move it to (a,b), the distance between them is the MAGNITUDE of the vector joining the points (x,y) and (a,b) IN THE DIRECTION OF (a,b). 
Generally, vectors are denoted by putting bar "-" or cap "^".