Scalar or Vector
Categories each of the following as scalar or vector quantities:
Distance
Displacement
Distance: Scalar
Displacement: Vector
Mary rides her bicycle 9 miles north, then 11 miles south. What is the total distance she has traveled?
20 miles
Gus drives 10 kilometers in 20 minutes. What is his average speed?
Speed = (distance)/(time)
0.5 km/min
Valeria blasts off in a rocket, starting at rest. After 30 seconds, she is traveling at a velocity of 30,000 m/s upwards. What is her average acceleration?
1,000 m/s2 upwards
An egg has a wider, rounded end, and a narrow, pointy end. Which end leaves the chicken first when the egg is laid?
The wider rounded end.
Categories each of the following as scalar or vector quantities:
Velocity
Speed
Velocity: Vector
Speed: Scalar
Mary rides her bicycle 9 miles north, then 11 miles south. At the end of her trip, what is her displacement?
2 miles south
Daniella walks 50 meters north, then 30 meters south. The whole walk takes 100 seconds. What is her average velocity?
Remember: velocity = (displacement)/(time)
20/100 = 0.2 m/s north
What formula will give you average acceleration?
A = (change in velocity)/(time)
A = (Vf - V0)/(time)
True or False: An octopus has 3 hearts.
True!
Is acceleration a scalar quantity or a vector quantity?
Vector
Michael walks 30 meters east, 10 meters south, then 30 meters west. What is the total distance he has traveled?
70 meters
3 m/s
Stephanie increases her velocity from 10 m/s south to 30 m/s south over a time interval of 10 seconds. What is her average acceleration?
2 m/s2 south
True or false: A crocodile can stick its tongue out almost two feet.
False: Crocodiles cannot stick their tongues out at all.
Name 2 vector quantities.
Any two of:
displacement, velocity, acceleration
Michael walks 30 meters east, 10 meters south, then 30 meters west. At the end of his trip, what is his displacement?
10 meters south
Teresa begins on the start/finish line on the track. She runs 8 times around the track, a total distance of 3000 meters, ending her run at the start/finish line. The run takes her 1000 seconds. What is her average velocity?
ZERO (0) m/s
Melanie is traveling 20 km/hour west. She spots a turtle in the road and hits the brake. Ten seconds later, she comes to a stop right in front of the turtle, which remains unharmed. In what direction is her acceleration?
East
[Negative acceleration in the westward direction is also correct.]
True of False: The width of the country Australia is greater than the diameter of the Moon.
True! Australia's width is approximately 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) while the Moon's diameter is about 3,474 kilometers (2,159 miles).
What does a vector quantity have that a scalar quantity does not?
direction
Anthony takes an elevator up 4 floors. Each floor 10 feet in height. What is his total displacement? [Hint: keep in mind that displacement is a vector quantity and make sure your answer is complete in order to get credit.]
40 feet up (or upward)
What does velocity have that speed does not have?
direction
Jay starts his car in his driveway, drives east moving 40 km/hour, increases his velocity to 60 km/hour eastward, drives around a traffic circle, then changes his velocity to 100 km/hour. After 600 seconds, he returns to his driveway. What was his average acceleration?
0 m/s2
True or False: The national animal of Scotland is the unicorn.
True!