A scalar is a single force or quantity that is independent of other forces, such as speed. Speed can be 45 m/s or 60 mph. A vector is something that involves two forces, such as velocity which is speed AND direction. For example, velocity can be 5 m/s North.
Scalar waves are a type of electromagnetic that works outside of physics. They have to do with points in space.
Speed is scalar (that is, without direction) and velocity is a vector (speed plus direction) by definition in physics.
The word "velocity", as used in physics, is a vector. If you want a scalar (you don't care about the direction), you would talk about the "speed".
In physics, "vector" usually means that a direction is relevant. If you just have a number, as in "number of moles", then a direction is NOT relevant.
Gradient means the vector derivative (Del) of a scalar quantity, e.g. for the Gravity Potenttial/scalar energy, Del-mGm/r= mw2R.
scalar means a quantity which has only value,but has no direction.
Scalar waves are a type of electromagnetic that works outside of physics. They have to do with points in space.
In mathematics and physics, a scalar field associates a scalar value to every point in a space. The scalar may either be a mathematical number, or a physical quantity.
Speed is scalar (that is, without direction) and velocity is a vector (speed plus direction) by definition in physics.
The word "velocity", as used in physics, is a vector. If you want a scalar (you don't care about the direction), you would talk about the "speed".
In physics, "vector" usually means that a direction is relevant. If you just have a number, as in "number of moles", then a direction is NOT relevant.
As used in physics, the two are different. Speed is a scalar, velocity a vector.
As opposed to a vector, a scalar has a single number. In physics, this is used in situations where a single number is enough to describe something.
That vectors are just scalars WITH a direction. (for example 50 miles is a scalar distance, but 50 miles north is a vector)
Gradient means the vector derivative (Del) of a scalar quantity, e.g. for the Gravity Potenttial/scalar energy, Del-mGm/r= mw2R.
Physics as taught in high school would say that work is a scalar quantity.More sophisticated forms of physics would say that work done is a Quaternion, both a scalar and a vector.Work is bothw= [0,F][0,D]=[ 0 - F.D, 0 + 0 + FxD] = [-F.D, FxD] = -F.D + FxD. -F.D = -FDcos(FD) is scalar work out, andw= FxD= FDsin(FD) a vector called Torque.
Dot Products in Physics denote scalar results fmo vector products, e.g Work = F.D = FDCos(FD) a scalar result from the dot product of two vectors, F Force and D Displacement.