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| − | A '''vector quantity''' is physical measurement that contains directional information,<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Physical Science''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000</ref> as opposed to a [[scalar quantity]]. | + | A '''vector quantity''' is a measurement that contains both magnitude<ref>Stewart, James. ''Calculus: Early Transcendentals. Brooks/Cole, 2008</ref> and directional information,.<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Physical Science''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000</ref> It is different from a [[scalar quantity]], which contains only magnitude. |
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| − | Force is an example of a vector quantity. | + | Force is an example of a vector quantity, because it includes both a magnitude (push) and a direction (the direction the force is in). For example, when an airplane is taking off, the air under the wings is exerting a force in an upward direction, gravity is exerting a force in a downward direction, the engine is exerting a force pushing the plane forward, while winds may be exerting forces from side to side. |
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| − | For example, when an airplane is taking off, the air under the wings is exerting a force in an upward direction, gravity is exerting a force in a downward direction, the engine is exerting a force pushing the plane forward, while winds may be exerting forces from side to side.
| + | Temperature is an example of a scalar quantity. The temperature is simply a number of units: normal body temperature is 37° Celsius. You can't speak of an upward temperature, or a northeast temperature; it has no direction. The temperature [[trend]] however does have a direction ([[up]] or [[down]]). |
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| − | Temperature is an example of a scalar quantity. The temperature is simply a number of units: normal body temperature is 37° Celsius. You can't speak of an upward temperature, or a northeast temperature; it has no direction.
| + | For more detail on vectors, see [[vector space]]. |
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| | ==References== | | ==References== |
| | <references/> | | <references/> |
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| | + | [[Category:Physics]] |
| | [[Category:Mathematics]] | | [[Category:Mathematics]] |