Physics 1

Scalar Quantity

Module 1 Scalar Quantity

Physics is a science that tries to explain natural phenomena,

usually, through quantitative measurements. It is therefore
important that you understand the nature of the measurement
you are dealing with. It may be a scalar or a vector quantity.
This module is designed for you to learn about Scalar
quantities.

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

1. Define what a scalar quantity is.
2. Identify and give examples of scalar quantities.

Learning about scalar quantities is important since it will help

you to further understand the succeeding modules that will be
involving both scalar and vector quantities.

What is a Scalar Quantity?

A scalar is a type of quantity that is limited with the magnitude of a
quantitative measurement of an object.

Scalar Quantities
As stated in the definition of a scalar quantity, only the magnitude of a
measurement is involved in this type of quantity. There is no directional
component present. The list below gives the common examples of scalar
quantities.

1. Time
It is the measurement of the progression of events. It is what a clock
measures. Time may be expressed in seconds, minutes, hours, days,
months, and years.

Examples:
a. 5 seconds or 5 s
b. 15 minutes or 15 mins
c. 2.5 hours or 2.5 hrs
 Physics 2
Scalar Quantity

2. Mass
It is the amount of matter present in an object. Mass may be expressed
in grams, kilograms, ounces, pounds, tons, and so on.

Examples:
a. 100 grams or 100 g
b. 50 kilograms or 50 kg
c. 7 tons

3. Volume
It defines the amount of space occupied by an object. Volume may be
expressed in liters, milliliters, pints, and so on.

Examples:
a. 200 Liters or 200 L
b. 80 milliliters or 80 mL
c. 20 pints

4. Distance
It gives the amount of space covered by an object during its motion.
Distance may be expressed in meters, kilometers, inches, feet, miles,
and so on.

Examples:
a. 90 meters or 90 m
b. 25 kilometers or 25 km
c. 16 feet or 16 ft

5. Speed
It tells you how fast an object covers a certain distance.
Mathematically, it is the ratio of distance with respect to time. Speed
may be expressed in meters per second, miles per minute, kilometers
per hour, and so on.

Examples:
a. 65 meters per second or 65 m/s
b. 30 miles per minute or 30 M/min
c. 40 kilometers per hour or 40 km/hr
 Physics 3
Scalar Quantity

6. Temperature
It tells you how hot or how cold an object is. Temperatures are often
expressed in Kelvin, degrees Celsius, and degrees Fahrenheit.

Examples:
a. 300 Kelvin or 300 K
b. 100 degrees Celsius or 100°C
c. 400 degrees Fahrenheit or 400°F

Scalar quantities only contain magnitude. There is no direction

involved. Once you see a direction involved, it is no longer a
scalar quantity.