Meaning & use
scalar
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Meanings
nouncountabletechnicalmathematicsphysics
A quantity that has size but no direction, such as temperature or mass.
Grammar: Countable: 'a scalar', 'two scalars'. Contrast with 'vector', which has direction.
Patterns
- a scalar quantity
- multiply by a scalar
- scalar vs. vector
Speed is a scalar, while velocity is a vector because it includes direction.
The program stores each scalar as a single number.
adjectivebefore a nountechnicalmathematicsphysics
Relating to a quantity or operation that involves only size, not direction.
Grammar: Used before a noun: 'scalar product', 'scalar field'.
Patterns
- scalar multiplication
- scalar product
- scalar field
In scalar multiplication, each part of the vector is multiplied by the same number.
A scalar field assigns a single value to every point in space.
Word forms
| plural | scalars |
|---|
Common combinations
- scalar quantity
- Mass is a scalar quantity.
- scalar multiplication
- We learned scalar multiplication in linear algebra.
- scalar product
- The scalar product of two vectors gives a number.
- scalar field
- Temperature can be modeled as a scalar field.
Synonyms and how they differ
- magnitude
- Refers to the size of a quantity, not the quantity itself.
Opposites
Word family
- scalar multiplication noun
- Multiplying a vector by a scalar.
Commonly confused: scalar or scaler?
scalar vs scaler
A 'scaler' is a person or thing that scales (e.g., a dental tool), while 'scalar' is a math/physics term.
Practice
Which of these is a scalar quantity?
Choose one answer.
Temperature has size but no direction, so it is a scalar. Velocity, force, and displacement all include direction and are vectors.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “scalar”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.