# 2.2 Vectors, scalars, and coordinate systems  (Page 2/4)

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A person's speed can stay the same as he or she rounds a corner and changes direction. Given this information, is speed a scalar or a vector quantity? Explain.

Speed is a scalar quantity. It does not change at all with direction changes; therefore, it has magnitude only. If it were a vector quantity, it would change as direction changes (even if its magnitude remained constant).

## Section summary

• A vector is any quantity that has magnitude and direction.
• A scalar is any quantity that has magnitude but no direction.
• Displacement and velocity are vectors, whereas distance and speed are scalars.
• In one-dimensional motion, direction is specified by a plus or minus sign to signify left or right, up or down, and the like.

## Conceptual questions

A student writes, “ A bird that is diving for prey has a speed of $-\mathit{\text{10}}\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}m/s$ .” What is wrong with the student's statement? What has the student actually described? Explain.

What is the speed of the bird in [link] ?

Acceleration is the change in velocity over time. Given this information, is acceleration a vector or a scalar quantity? Explain.

A weather forecast states that the temperature is predicted to be $-5ºC$ the following day. Is this temperature a vector or a scalar quantity? Explain.

## Switching reference frames

A fundamental tenet of physics is that information about an event can be gathered from a variety of reference frames. For example, imagine that you are a passenger walking toward the front of a bus. As you walk, your motion is observed by a fellow bus passenger and by an observer standing on the sidewalk.

Both the bus passenger and sidewalk observer will be able to collect information about you. They can determine how far you moved and how much time it took you to do so. However, while you moved at a consistent pace, both observers will get different results. To the passenger sitting on the bus, you moved forward at what one would consider a normal pace, something similar to how quickly you would walk outside on a sunny day. To the sidewalk observer though, you will have moved much quicker. Because the bus is also moving forward, the distance you move forward against the sidewalk each second increases, and the sidewalk observer must conclude that you are moving at a greater pace.

To show that you understand this concept, you will need to create an event and think of a way to view this event from two different frames of reference. In order to ensure that the event is being observed simultaneously from both frames, you will need an assistant to help out. An example of a possible event is to have a friend ride on a skateboard while tossing a ball. How will your friend observe the ball toss, and how will those observations be different from your own?

Your task is to describe your event and the observations of your event from both frames of reference. Answer the following questions below to demonstrate your understanding. For assistance, you can review the information given in the ‘Position' paragraph at the start of Section 2.1.

1. What is your event? What object are both you and your assistant observing?
2. What do you see as the event takes place?
3. What does your assistant see as the event takes place?
4. How do your reference frames cause you and your assistant to have two different sets of observations?

## Test prep for ap courses

A student is trying to determine the acceleration of a feather as she drops it to the ground. If the student is looking to achieve a positive velocity and positive acceleration, what is the most sensible way to set up her coordinate system?

1. Her hand should be a coordinate of zero and the upward direction should be considered positive.
2. Her hand should be a coordinate of zero and the downward direction should be considered positive.
3. The floor should be a coordinate of zero and the upward direction should be considered positive.
4. The floor should be a coordinate of zero and the downward direction should be considered positive.

Determine the total force and the absolute pressure on the bottom of a swimming pool 28.0m by 8.5m whose uniform depth is 1 .8m.
for the answer to complete, the units need specified why
That's just how the AP grades. Otherwise, you could be talking about m/s when the answer requires m/s^2. They need to know what you are referring to.
Kyle
Suppose a speck of dust in an electrostatic precipitator has 1.0000×1012 protons in it and has a net charge of –5.00 nC (a very large charge for a small speck). How many electrons does it have?
how would I work this problem
Alexia
how can you have not an integer number of protons? If, on the other hand it supposed to be 1e12, then 1.6e-19C/proton • 1e12 protons=1.6e-7 C is the charge of the protons in the speck, so the difference between this and 5e-9C is made up by electrons
Igor
what is angular velocity
angular velocity can be defined as the rate of change in radian over seconds.
Fidelis
Why does earth exert only a tiny downward pull?
hello
Islam
Why is light bright?
an 8.0 capacitor is connected by to the terminals of 60Hz whoes rms voltage is 150v. a.find the capacity reactance and rms to the circuit
thanks so much. i undersooth well
what is physics
is the study of matter in relation to energy
Kintu
physics can be defined as the natural science that deals with the study of motion through space,time along with its related concepts which are energy and force
Fidelis
a submersible pump is dropped a borehole and hits the level of water at the bottom of the borehole 5 seconds later.determine the level of water in the borehole
what is power?
power P = Work done per second W/ t. It means the more power, the stronger machine
Sphere
e.g. heart Uses 2 W per beat.
Rohit
A spherica, concave shaving mirror has a radius of curvature of 32 cm .what is the magnification of a persons face. when it is 12cm to the left of the vertex of the mirror
did you solve?
Shii
1.75cm
Ridwan
my name is Abu m.konnek I am a student of a electrical engineer and I want you to help me
Abu
the magnification k = f/(f-d) with focus f = R/2 =16 cm; d =12 cm k = 16/4 =4
Sphere
what do we call velocity
Kings
A weather vane is some sort of directional arrow parallel to the ground that may rotate freely in a horizontal plane. A typical weather vane has a large cross-sectional area perpendicular to the direction the arrow is pointing, like a “One Way” street sign. The purpose of the weather vane is to indicate the direction of the wind. As wind blows pa
hi
Godfred
Godfred
If a prism is fully imersed in water then the ray of light will normally dispersed or their is any difference?
the same behavior thru the prism out or in water bud abbot
Ju
If this will experimented with a hollow(vaccum) prism in water then what will be result ?
Anurag