Question:
Read each statement below carefully and state, with reasons and examples, if it is true or false : A scalar quantity is one that (a) is conserved in a process (b) can never take negative values (c) must be dimensionless (d) does not vary from one point to another in space (e) has the same value for observers with different orientations of axes.
Answer:
(a) True
(b) False
(c) False
(d) True
(e) True
Explanation:
(a) The magnitude of a vector is a number. Hence, it is a scalar.
(b) Each component of a vector is also a vector.
(c) Total path length is a scalar quantity, whereas displacement is a vector quantity. Hence, the total path length is always greater than the magnitude of displacement. It becomes equal to the magnitude of displacement only when a particle is moving in a straight line.
(d) It is because of the fact that the total path length is always greater than or equal to the magnitude of displacement of a particle.
(e) Three vectors, which do not lie in a plane, cannot be represented by the sides of a triangle taken in the same order.
Not what you are looking for? Go ahead and submit the question, we will get back to you.
