Scalar
/ˈskeɪlər/noun
A quantity that only has size, not direction.
The mass of an object is a scalar quantity.
Often appears as...
- scalar quantity
- scalar product
Usage tips
Technical
adjective
Related to a scalar or scalar quantities.
In a scalar multiplication, a vector is multiplied by a scalar to produce another vector.
Often appears as...
- scalar field
- scalar value
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A type of variable in computer programming that holds only one value at a time.
In most programming languages, variables are scalar by default.
Often appears as...
- scalar array
- scalar variable
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A quantity that only has size, not direction.
The mass of an object is a scalar quantity.
Often appears as...
- scalar quantity
- scalar product
Usage tips
Technical
adjective
Related to a scalar or scalar quantities.
In a scalar multiplication, a vector is multiplied by a scalar to produce another vector.
Often appears as...
- scalar field
- scalar value
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A type of variable in computer programming that holds only one value at a time.
In most programming languages, variables are scalar by default.
Often appears as...
- scalar array
- scalar variable
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3No Direction
Scalars have magnitude but no direction, unlike vectors which have both.
Temperature, being scalar, does not require directional information.
Pro Tip 2/3Physical Properties
In physics, scalar quantities often describe physical properties that are not directional.
The energy in a scalar form just states the amount, not where it's going.
Pro Tip 3/3Scalar Operations
When used in operations like multiplication, scalars can change the size of another quantity.
Multiplying a velocity vector by a scalar changes its speed but not direction.
Compare with
amplitudedimensionintensitymagnitudequantityscalesizevalue
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Video examples
A theory of everything PIPE...
From their location in this pattern, we know that these new particles should be scalar fields like the Higgs particle, but have color charge and interact with the strong force. Filling in these new particles completes this pattern, giving us the full E8. This E8 pattern has very deep mathematical roots.
Video examples
Gridiron physics:...
and vectors are measurements with direction. For example, when that quarterback takes the snap, he's five yards away, but from where? Back from the line of scrimmage, so the five yards by itself is a scalar quantity. When you add a direction, like five yards deep,
Video examples
A theory of everything PIPE...
From their location in this pattern, we know that these new particles should be scalar fields like the Higgs particle, but have color charge and interact with the strong force. Filling in these new particles completes this pattern, giving us the full E8. This E8 pattern has very deep mathematical roots.
Video examples
Gridiron physics:...
and vectors are measurements with direction. For example, when that quarterback takes the snap, he's five yards away, but from where? Back from the line of scrimmage, so the five yards by itself is a scalar quantity. When you add a direction, like five yards deep,
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Francois Englert
Belgian Physicist
I like to call it the scalar boson because this reflects an essential component of the theory - it means that the field the boson travels through has no preferred direction, unlike the way a magnetic field does.
Quote examples
Francois Englert
Belgian Physicist
I like to call it the scalar boson because this reflects an essential component of the theory - it means that the field the boson travels through has no preferred direction, unlike the way a magnetic field does.
Example 1 of 1
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