AP Physics 1 Flashcards: Scalars And Vectors In One Dimension

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Scalars And Vectors In One Dimension, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for AP Physics 1.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: Which is a scalar: volume or velocity?

Answer: Volume is a scalar. Volume only has magnitude, no direction.

Flashcard 2: Identify a scalar: speed or velocity?

Answer: Speed is a scalar. Speed only indicates how fast, not direction.

Flashcard 3: What is the difference between distance and displacement?

Answer: Distance is scalar; displacement is vector. Distance is total path; displacement is net change in position.

Flashcard 4: Which is a scalar: temperature or acceleration?

Answer: Temperature is a scalar. Temperature has no directional component.

Flashcard 5: Which is a scalar: temperature or acceleration?

Answer: Temperature is a scalar. Temperature has no directional component.

Flashcard 6: Identify a scalar: power or momentum?

Answer: Power is a scalar. Power has no direction, momentum does.

Flashcard 7: What is the result of adding two vectors?

Answer: The result is a resultant vector. The sum combines both vectors into one.

Flashcard 8: What does a negative velocity indicate?

Answer: It indicates motion in the opposite direction. Shows movement toward the negative direction.

Flashcard 9: Identify a vector: work or impulse?

Answer: Impulse is a vector. Impulse has direction, work does not.

Flashcard 10: Is displacement a scalar or vector?

Answer: Displacement is a vector. Displacement has both magnitude and direction.

Flashcard 11: What kind of quantity is time?

Answer: Time is a scalar quantity. Time has magnitude but no direction.

Flashcard 12: What determines a vector's direction?

Answer: The direction of the arrow determines it. Arrow direction shows which way vector points.

Flashcard 13: What kind of quantity is force?

Answer: Force is a vector quantity. Force has both magnitude and direction.

Flashcard 14: Which is a vector: electric charge or electric field?

Answer: Electric field is a vector. Electric field has direction, charge does not.

Flashcard 15: How do you add two vectors?

Answer: Use the head-to-tail method. Connect tail of second to head of first.

Flashcard 16: What is the difference between distance and displacement?

Answer: Distance is scalar; displacement is vector. Distance is total path; displacement is net change in position.

Flashcard 17: What is a scalar quantity?

Answer: A scalar quantity has magnitude only. Examples include mass, speed, time, and energy.

Flashcard 18: State the formula for average speed.

Answer: $\text{Average speed} = \frac{\text{total distance}}{\text{total time}}$. Uses total distance traveled along the path.

Flashcard 19: State the formula for average velocity.

Answer: $Average velocity = \frac{\text{total displacement}}{\text{total time}}$. Uses total displacement, not total distance.

Flashcard 20: What is a vector quantity?

Answer: A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction. Examples include velocity, force, and displacement.

Flashcard 21: State the SI unit for displacement.

Answer: The SI unit for displacement is meter (m). Same as distance since both measure length.

Flashcard 22: Which is a scalar: energy or momentum?

Answer: Energy is a scalar. Energy has no direction, momentum does.

Flashcard 23: Is speed a scalar or vector?

Answer: Speed is a scalar. Speed only indicates magnitude, not direction.

Flashcard 24: What is the magnitude of a vector?

Answer: Magnitude is the length of the vector. Also called the absolute value of the vector.

Flashcard 25: Is mass a scalar or vector?

Answer: Mass is a scalar. Mass only has magnitude, no direction.

Flashcard 26: Is velocity a scalar or vector?

Answer: Velocity is a vector. Velocity includes both speed and direction.

Flashcard 27: Is speed a scalar or vector?

Answer: Speed is a scalar. Speed only indicates magnitude, not direction.

Flashcard 28: Which quantity can be negative: speed or velocity?

Answer: Velocity can be negative. Negative indicates direction opposite to positive reference.

Flashcard 29: What kind of quantity is time?

Answer: Time is a scalar quantity. Time has magnitude but no direction.

Flashcard 30: What kind of quantity is force?

Answer: Force is a vector quantity. Force has both magnitude and direction.

Flashcard 31: What determines a vector's direction?

Answer: The direction of the arrow determines it. Arrow direction shows which way vector points.

Flashcard 32: State the formula for average speed.

Answer: $\text{Average speed} = \frac{\text{total distance}}{\text{total time}}$. Uses total distance traveled along the path.

Flashcard 33: Identify a vector: distance or displacement?

Answer: Displacement is a vector. Displacement includes direction from start to end.

Flashcard 34: Identify a scalar: power or momentum?

Answer: Power is a scalar. Power has no direction, momentum does.

Flashcard 35: Identify a scalar: speed or velocity?

Answer: Speed is a scalar. Speed only indicates how fast, not direction.

Flashcard 36: Which is a vector: torque or pressure?

Answer: Torque is a vector. Torque has direction, pressure does not.

Flashcard 37: State the SI unit for distance.

Answer: The SI unit for distance is meter (m). Same as displacement since both measure length.

Flashcard 38: Choose the vector: acceleration or temperature?

Answer: Acceleration is a vector. Acceleration has direction, temperature does not.

Flashcard 39: Is displacement a scalar or vector?

Answer: Displacement is a vector. Displacement has both magnitude and direction.

Flashcard 40: Is velocity a scalar or vector?

Answer: Velocity is a vector. Velocity includes both speed and direction.

Flashcard 41: Which is a scalar: energy or momentum?

Answer: Energy is a scalar. Energy has no direction, momentum does.

Flashcard 42: Choose the scalar: mass or force?

Answer: Mass is a scalar. Mass has no direction, force has direction.

Flashcard 43: What kind of quantity is volume?

Answer: Volume is a scalar quantity. Volume has magnitude but no direction.

Flashcard 44: Which is a vector: electric charge or electric field?

Answer: Electric field is a vector. Electric field has direction, charge does not.

Flashcard 45: State the SI unit for displacement.

Answer: The SI unit for displacement is meter (m). Same as distance since both measure length.

Flashcard 46: What is the result of adding two vectors?

Answer: The result is a resultant vector. The sum combines both vectors into one.

Flashcard 47: Choose the vector: acceleration or temperature?

Answer: Acceleration is a vector. Acceleration has direction, temperature does not.

Flashcard 48: What does the direction of a vector arrow represent?

Answer: The direction represents the vector's direction. The arrowhead points in the vector's direction.

Flashcard 49: Which quantity can be negative: speed or velocity?

Answer: Velocity can be negative. Negative indicates direction opposite to positive reference.

Flashcard 50: What is the magnitude of a vector?

Answer: Magnitude is the length of the vector. Also called the absolute value of the vector.

Flashcard 51: Which is a scalar: volume or velocity?

Answer: Volume is a scalar. Volume only has magnitude, no direction.

Flashcard 52: Identify a vector: distance or displacement?

Answer: Displacement is a vector. Displacement includes direction from start to end.

Flashcard 53: What does the direction of a vector arrow represent?

Answer: The direction represents the vector's direction. The arrowhead points in the vector's direction.

Flashcard 54: What is a scalar quantity?

Answer: A scalar quantity has magnitude only. Examples include mass, speed, time, and energy.

Flashcard 55: How do you add two vectors?

Answer: Use the head-to-tail method. Connect tail of second to head of first.

Flashcard 56: What does the length of a vector arrow represent?

Answer: The length represents the magnitude. Longer arrows indicate larger magnitudes.

Flashcard 57: State the SI unit for distance.

Answer: The SI unit for distance is meter (m). Same as displacement since both measure length.

Flashcard 58: Which is a vector: torque or pressure?

Answer: Torque is a vector. Torque has direction, pressure does not.

Flashcard 59: What is a vector quantity?

Answer: A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction. Examples include velocity, force, and displacement.

Flashcard 60: What does the length of a vector arrow represent?

Answer: The length represents the magnitude. Longer arrows indicate larger magnitudes.

Flashcard 61: Choose the scalar: mass or force?

Answer: Mass is a scalar. Mass has no direction, force has direction.

Flashcard 62: Identify a vector: work or impulse?

Answer: Impulse is a vector. Impulse has direction, work does not.

Flashcard 63: What does a negative velocity indicate?

Answer: It indicates motion in the opposite direction. Shows movement toward the negative direction.