Scalars and Vectors in One Dimension · 一维标量与矢量
| English | 中文 | Pinyin · 拼音 |
|---|---|---|
| direction/daɪˈrekʃn/ | 方向 | fāng xiàng |
| scalar/ˈskeɪlə/ | 标量 | biāo liàng |
| magnitude/ˈmæɡnɪtjuːd/ | 大小 | dà xiǎo |
| speed/spiːd/ | 速率 | sù lǜ |
| vector/ˈvektə/ | 矢量 | shǐ liàng |
| displacement/dɪˈspleɪsmənt/ | 位移 | wèi yí |
| velocity/vəˈlɒsɪti/ | 速度 | sù dù |
| positive direction/ˈpɒzɪtɪv daɪˈrekʃn/ | 正方向 | zhèng fāng xiàng |
| resultant/rɪˈzʌltənt/ | 合矢量 | hé shǐ liàng |
"It moved 3 meters." Which way?
- A rescue drone is told: "the hiker is 3 kilometers away."
- Away in which direction? North? Up a cliff? The number alone can't guide the drone.
- Some quantities need only a size. Others are useless without a direction too.
- Kinematics starts by sorting every quantity into one of these two kinds.
“它移动了 3 米。”朝哪个方向?
- 一架救援无人机收到指令:“徒步者在 3 公里外。”
- 在哪个方向的 3 公里?正北?悬崖上方?光有这个数字,无人机无法找到人。
- 有些量只需要一个大小;另一些量,没有方向就毫无意义。
- 运动学(kinematics)的第一步,就是把每一个量归入这两类之一。
Scalars: size only
- A scalar 标量 has only a magnitude 大小 — a number with a unit.
- No direction is attached, and none is needed.
- Examples: time (5 s), mass (2 kg), temperature (20 °C), speed 速率 (30 m/s), energy, distance.
- You can add scalars with ordinary arithmetic: 2 kg + 3 kg = 5 kg.
标量:只有大小
- 标量(scalar)只有一个大小(magnitude)——一个带单位的数字。
- 它不附带方向,也不需要方向。
- 例子:时间(5 s)、质量(2 kg)、温度(20 °C)、速率(speed)(30 m/s)、能量、距离。
- 标量可以用普通算术相加:2 kg + 3 kg = 5 kg。
Vectors: size and direction
- A vector 矢量 has a magnitude and a direction 方向.
- Change the direction and you have a different vector, even if the size is the same.
- Examples: displacement 位移, velocity 速度, acceleration, force.
- "$30\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$ east" is a vector; "$30\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$" on its own is just a speed.
矢量:既有大小又有方向
- 矢量(vector)既有大小,又有一个方向(direction)。
- 改变方向,就得到一个不同的矢量,哪怕大小相同。
- 例子:位移(displacement)、速度(velocity)、加速度、力。
- “$30\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$ 向东”是矢量;单写“$30\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$”只是一个速率。
Scalar or vector? · 标量还是矢量?
Sort each quantity into scalar (size only) or vector (size and direction). · 将每个物理量归类为标量(仅有大小)或矢量(大小和方向)。
Which of these is a vector quantity? · 下列哪一个是矢量量?
Velocity has a size and a direction, so it is a vector. Mass, temperature and speed are scalars (size only). · 速度既有大小又有方向,因此是矢量。质量、温度和速率是标量(仅有大小)。
A vector has a magnitude and a . · 矢量具有大小和一个__。
A vector is defined by both · 两者 a magnitude and a direction. · 矢量由同时具备大小和方向来定义。
On a line, a sign is a direction
- In one dimension we don't need arrows or angles — just a positive direction 正方向.
- A positive value points one way; a negative value points the opposite way.
- So $+3\ \text{m}$ and $-3\ \text{m}$ have the same size but opposite directions.
在一条直线上,符号就是方向
- 在一维中我们不需要箭头或角度——只要先定一个正方向(positive direction)。
- 正值指向一边;负值指向相反的一边。
- 所以 $+3\ \text{m}$ 和 $-3\ \text{m}$ 大小相同,方向相反。

Select all · 所有 the quantities that are vectors. · 选择所有属于矢量的物理量。
Displacement, force and velocity all need a direction. Distance and temperature are scalars. · 位移、力和速度都需要方向。距离和温度是标量。
A velocity of $-8\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$ is not "slower" than $+8\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$. They have the same speed — the minus sign only means it points the other way.
速度 $-8\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$ 并不比 $+8\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$ “更慢”。它们的速率相同——负号只表示它指向相反的方向。
A velocity of $-8\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$ is slower than a velocity of $+8\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$. · 速度$-8\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$比速度$+8\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$慢。
Both have the same speed · 速度 ($8\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$). The minus sign is a direction, not a smaller size. · 两者具有相同的速率($8\ \tfrac{\text{m}}{\text{s}}$)。负号代表方向,而非更小的大小。
Adding vectors on a line
- To combine vectors along a line, just add the signed numbers.
- A walk of $+5\ \text{m}$ then $-2\ \text{m}$ gives a resultant 合矢量 of $+3\ \text{m}$.
- The total distance walked is $7\ \text{m}$, but the displacement is only $+3\ \text{m}$.
- This is why displacement (a vector) and distance (a scalar) can be very different.
在直线上相加矢量
- 要把同一条直线上的矢量合起来,只需把带符号的数字相加。
- 先走 $+5\ \text{m}$ 再走 $-2\ \text{m}$,得到的合矢量(resultant)是 $+3\ \text{m}$。
- 走过的总距离是 $7\ \text{m}$,但位移只有 $+3\ \text{m}$。
- 这就是为什么位移(矢量)和距离(标量)可以相差很大。
A walk of $+5\ \text{m}$ followed by $-2\ \text{m}$ gives a displacement of how many metres? · 行走$+5\ \text{m}$米后再走$-2\ \text{m}$米,总位移是多少米?
Add the signed values: $(+5) + (-2) = +3\ \text{m}$. The total distance is $7\ \text{m}$, but the displacement is only $+3\ \text{m}$. · 将带符号的值相加:$(+5) + (-2) = +3\ \text{m}$。总路程是$7\ \text{m}$,但位移仅为$+3\ \text{m}$。
Put these distances in order, smallest first. · 将这些距离按顺序排列,从小到大。
Ordering by magnitude builds your sense of scale: $0.7\ \text{m}$, then $12\ \text{m}$, then $400\ \text{m}$. · 按大小排序建立尺度感:$0.7\ \text{m}$,然后是$12\ \text{m}$,最后是$400\ \text{m}$。
A cyclist rides 300 m east, then 100 m west.
- Distance travelled (scalar) $= 300 + 100 = 400\ \text{m}$.
- Displacement (vector) $= (+300) + (-100) = +200\ \text{m}$ — that is, 200 m east.
Same trip, two very different answers: one counts every metre, the other counts only the change in position.
一位骑车人先向东骑 300 m,再向西骑 100 m。
- 走过的距离(标量)$= 300 + 100 = 400\ \text{m}$。
- 位移(矢量)$= (+300) + (-100) = +200\ \text{m}$——也就是向东 200 m。
同一段旅程,两个很不一样的答案:一个数清每一米,另一个只看位置的变化。
Scalar = magnitude only (time, mass, speed). Vector = magnitude and direction (displacement, velocity). In one dimension, a + / − sign carries the direction.
标量 = 只有大小(时间、质量、速率)。矢量 = 既有大小又有方向(位移、速度)。在一维中,一个 + / − 号就带着方向。