IGCSE/GCSE/O & A Level/IB/University Student Forum

Qualification => Subject Doubts => GCE AS & A2 Level => Sciences => Topic started by: kingmusic on March 28, 2012, 12:36:30 pm

Title: Current : Is it a vector or a scalar quantity?
Post by: kingmusic on March 28, 2012, 12:36:30 pm

Is current a vector or a scalar quantity?

Title: Re: Current : Is it a vector or a scalar quantity?
Post by: Romeesa-Chan on March 28, 2012, 12:45:03 pm

Electric current is a vector quantity, I think. I'll ask Astar to answer this since he's more knowledgeable.

Title: Re: Current : Is it a vector or a scalar quantity?
Post by: astarmathsandphysics on March 28, 2012, 01:18:54 pm

it is tecnically a vector cos the direction matters. In ac, the current reverses every half cycle

Title: Re: Current : Is it a vector or a scalar quantity?
Post by: 0kelvin on March 29, 2012, 12:58:21 am

In my country it's scalar in all secondary school books. Then comes college level physics and tell you that it's a vector  :P

Title: Re: Current : Is it a vector or a scalar quantity?
Post by: astarmathsandphysics on March 29, 2012, 02:12:23 pm

That teaches you scepticism

Title: Re: Current : Is it a vector or a scalar quantity?
Post by: Rvel Zahid on April 08, 2012, 04:00:30 am

cureent is a vector quantity i guess as it involves direction. electrons move from negative to positive.