Vector quantity examples

Vector Quantity Examples

VECTOR QUANTITY EXAMPLES

Before you read any further it might be a good idea to read about What are Vector Quantities.
Recommended Read: What are Vector Quantities?

what is a vector quantity?

In Brief

• Vector Quantities are those quantities that have magnitude as well as direction. 
• For example Velocity, acceleration, displacement, force, momentum, etc.

Examples

Here are some examples of vector quantity.

1. Displacement
2. Velocity
3. Acceleration
4. Force
5. Momentum
6. Torque
7. Electric field
8. Angular Displacement
9. Wave Vector
10. Current density
11. Drag
12. Impulse
13. Magnetic field
14. Magnetic Flux
15. Gravitational field
16. Angular velocity
17. Angular acceleration
18. Angular momentum

vector quantity examples explained

Vector Quantity List

Following are list of vector quantity examples:

1. Displacement

• The change in the position of a moving body in a particular direction is called its displacement or the shortest distance between the final and the initial positions of a body are called displacement. It is generally denoted by D or X. Displacement is a vector quantity.
• For example – If an object moves from A position to B, then the object’s position changes.

2. Velocity

• The distance traveled by a body in a particular direction in unit time is called its velocity. velocity is a vector quantity mark.
• SI unit for velocity is meter per second (m/s).
• For example, the speed of a car traveling north on a highway, or the speed a rocket travels after launching.

3. Acceleration

• The time rate of change of velocity of a body is called acceleration.
• Acceleration = Change in Velocity / Time taken
• SI unit for accleretaion is meter per second square (m/s²).
• For example, the speed of a car traveling north on a highway, or the speed a rocket travels after launching.

4. Force

• Force is a push or pull that changes or tends to change the state of rest or of uniform motion, the direction of motion, or the shape and size of a body.
• Force is a vector quantity.
• The SI unit of force is Newton. It is denoted by N.
  For example, a force of 5 Newton may be described as 5 N.

5. Momentum

• The product of the mass of a body and its velocity is called the momentum of the body
• It is generally denoted by ‘p’.
• SI unit of momentum will be kgm/s^-1.

6. Torque

• Torque measures the force that can cause an object to rotate about an axis.
• Torque is commonly denoted with a capital “T”. It is spelled as (tau).
• SI unit of torque is newton meter (Nm)

7. Electric field

• The electric field is the ratio of force per unit charge. Since force is a vector quantity, the electric field is also a vector quantity. It is denoted by ‘E’.
• The SI unit of the electric field is volts per meter (V/m).
• Electric Field (E) = Force(F) / charge(q), where E is the strength of the electric field, F is the electric force, and q is the test charge that is being used to “feel” the electric field.

8. Angular Displacement

• The angle subtended at the center of a circle by the initial and final positions of a body moving along the circumference of a circle is called angular displacement of the body.
• The angular displacement is denoted by radian (θ).

9. Wave Vector

• A wave vector (also spelled wavevector) is a vector that helps describe a wave. Like any vector, it has a magnitude and direction.

10. Current Density

• Current density is a vector quantity having both a direction and a scalar magnitude.
• The current density vector is defined as a vector whose magnitude is the electric current per cross-sectional area at a given point in space, its direction being that of the motion of the positive charges at this point.
• It is denoted by the letter ‘J’.

• J = I / A, where, I denote the current flowing through the conductor in Amperes, A represents the cross-section area in m² Current density is expressed in A/m²

11. Drag

• Drag is a force and is, therefore, a vector quantity having both a magnitude and a direction. 

12. Impulse

• The force that acts on a body for a short time but produces a large change in the body’s momentum is called an impulsive force. It is a vector quantity.
• The impulse of a force acting on a body is equal to the product of the force and the time for which it acts on a body.
• Impulse = Force × time.
• SI unit of impulse is newton-second kg-m/s.

13. Magnetic Field

• Any object experiences forces when placed in a magnetic field. Like a vector quantity, a magnetic field is described with magnitude and direction. Thus the magnetic field is a vector quantity.

14. Magnetic Flux

• Magnetic flux depends on two quantities – Magnetic field and Area. Both of these components are vector quantities.
• SI unit of magnetic flux is weber(Wb). it is a vector quantity.

15. Gravitational Field

• As gravitational field strength consists of force, and as force is a vector quantity, it naturally makes it a vector quantity.
• The gravitational force or the weight acting on a mass m, in the gravitational field 𝑔, is given by: 𝐹 = m𝑔.

16. Angular Velocity

• The rate of change of the angular displacement (θ) with time (t) is called angular velocity.
• It is denoted by the Greek letter ω, sometimes Ω (omega).
• The unit of Angular Velocity (ω) is radian per second (rad/s or rad s^-1)
• For example, a roulette ball on a roulette wheel, a race car on a circular path.

17. Angular Acceleration

• The rate of change of angular velocity is called angular acceleration. It is a vector quantity.
• Angular Acceleration is denoted by alpha (α).
• The formula for Angular acceleration (α) = Angular Velocity (ω) / Time (t)
• SI unit of angular acceleration is radians per second squared (rad s^-2).

18. Angular Momentum

• Angular momentum is a vector quantity because it is equivalent to linear momentum (i.e. dependent upon both direction and magnitude).
• Angular Momentum is denoted by ‘L’.
• Angular Momentum(L) = mass(m) * velocity(v) * radius(r).

Recommended Read: 30 Examples of Vector Quantities

30 Examples Of Vector Quantities

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