Differences Question Answers:
Physical Quantities Non-Physical Quantities
Properties that can be measured. Abstract or conceptual properties that cannot
be measured.
They have a numerical value and a specific They cannot be expressed in standard
unit of measurement, such as meters for numerical terms or units of measurement.
length or kilograms for mass.
They are objective and can be quantified. They are subjective and are qualitative.
They can be classified as scalar (having –
only magnitude) or vector (having both
magnitude and direction).
Examples include length, mass, velocity Examples include emotions (love, anger),
time, temperature, and energy. thoughts, beauty, happiness, intelligence,
and taste.
Measured directly using scientific Measured sometimes be assessed
instruments or indirectly using appropriate indirectly using tools like questionnaires
tools and units. or by relating them to observable
phenomena that serve as proxies.
Base Quantities Derived Quantities
Fundamental quantities that are independent Derived Quantities that are derived from the
of all other quantities and cannot be base quantities through mathematical
expressed in simpler terms. operations like multiplication, division, or
[Link] can be simplified.
Examples: Examples:
Length (e.g., meter, m) Speed: Defined as distance/time. Its unit is
Mass (e.g., kilogram, kg) meters per second (m/s).
Time (e.g., second, s) Force: Defined as mass/[Link] SI
Electric current (e.g., ampere, A) unit is the Newton (N), which is equivalent to
Temperature (e.g., kelvin, K) kg·m/s².
Amount of substance (e.g., mole, mol) Density: Defined as mass/volume (which is
Luminous/Light intensity (e.g., candela, cd) length cubed) .
Energy: Defined by combining mass, length,
and time.
Have standard units called base units, such Have derived units that are combinations of
as the SI base units (meter, kilogram, second, base units, like meters per second for speed
etc.). or kilograms per cubic meter for density.
Mechanical Stop Watch Digital Stop Watch
It is spring driven It is battery driven
It has two circular dials. In large dial second No dials are present in digital stopwatch.
hand of watch rotates, while minute hand is in Time is displayed on screen digitally.
smaller dial.
Mechanical Stopwatch starts and stops by It operates using buttons. Pressing left button
pressing a knob at top, while pressing knob will start the watch, and on pressing the
for long time will reset the watch. button again, it will stop. Pressing right button
resets the stopwatch.
Random Error Systematic Error
They are uncontrollable and unpredictable They are errors in magnitude ,in a straight
errors which are caused irregularly line either negative or postive.
– Causes of Systematic Error:
Instrumental Errors
Experimental Errors
Personal Errors
Precision Accuracy
Accuracy is the level of correctness of a It refers to how close two or more
measurement to its true or standard value. measurements are to each other, regardless
of whether those measurements are accurate
or not.
An accurate measurement is one that is close A measurement is considered precise if
to the true value, regardless of whether the repeated measurements under the same
measurement is repeatable or consistent. conditions yield similar results.
Scalars Vectors
Scalar quantities are physical quantities that Vector quantities are physical quantities that
can be completely described by their require both a magnitude and a specific
magnitude (size or amount) alone. They do direction for their complete description.
not have an associated direction
E.g: Distance, speed, mass, temperature, E.g: Displacement, velocity, acceleration,
time, and energy. force, and momentum.
They are represented by simple alphabets They are represented by alphabets in form of
e.g “s” for distance E.g “v”
Bold Form: v
Dash on Top:
Arrow Head:
Italic Form:
Speed Velocity
It is the distance (d), covered In equal It is the displacement(d), Covered in equal
intervals of time (t). intervals of time (t)
Represented by Scalar Quantity Represented by Vector Quantity
Unit: Meter per second (m/s) Unit:Meter per second (m/s)
with direction
Average: It is the total distance covered in Average: It is the total displacement covered
total time in total time
formula: formula:
Instantaneous:It is distance calculated, on the Instantaneous:It is the shortest possible
exact time of speed. displacement calculated.
Uniform:Equal Distance covered in equal Uniform:Equal Displacement covered in equal
intervals of time intervals of time
Non Uniform/Variable: Un-equal Distance Non Uniform/Variable: Un-equal
covered in un-equal intervals of time Displacement covered in un-equal intervals of
time or direction.
Formula: Formula:
Distance Displacement
It gives magnitude about the complete path It is the shortest path calculated from its final
followed by an object from one point to & initial points.
another.
It is a Scalar Quantity It is a Vector Quantity
It is represented by: "s" or “d” It is represented by: "d"
Point A to Point B is distance: Point A to Point B is displacement:
Formula: