Title: 9_1 Basic concepts of vectors
Course: HELM Workbooks 2023-2024 > Section: HELM 9: Vectors

In science and engineering, frequent reference is made to physical quantities, such as force, speed and time. For example, we talk of the speed of a car, and the force in a compressed spring. It is useful to separate these physical quantities into two types. Quantities of the first type are known as scalars. These can be fully described by a single number known as the magnitude.

Quantities of the second type are those which require the specification of a direction, in addition to a magnitude, before they are completely described. These are known as vectors. We can perform calculations with vectors which build upon the familiar calculations with scalars, this includes subjects such as vector algebra, vector geometry and vector calculus.

Quantities that are vectors must be manipulated according to certain rules, which are described in this quiz. Each has a natural interpretation.