Moderate

Angular momentum is:

Correct answer: C. An axial vector

  • A. Scalar
  • B. A polar vector
  • C. An axial vector
  • D. Linear momentum

Explanation

(a) Scalar: Angular momentum is not a scalar. Scalars have only magnitude and no direction. Angular momentum, on the other hand, has both magnitude and direction, so it cannot be a scalar. (b) A polar vector: Angular momentum is not a polar vector. Polar vectors have a magnitude and direction, but they are defined by their components in a coordinate system. Angular momentum does not fit this definition, so it is not a polar vector. (c) An axial vector: Angular momentum is an axial vector. Axial vectors have magnitude, direction, and a sense of rotation. They are used to represent quantities that involve rotation, such as angular momentum. So, option (c) is the correct one! (d) Linear momentum: Linear momentum is a different concept from angular momentum. Linear momentum refers to the motion of an object in a straight line, while angular momentum refers to the rotation of an object around an axis. So, option (d) is not the correct one. In summary, the correct option is (c). Angular momentum is an axial vector. It has both magnitude and direction, representing rotational motion.

Last updated

About Vectors and Equilibrium

Vectors have magnitude and direction, unlike scalars, and are combined by head-to-tail or parallelogram methods. Work covers rectangular components, equilibrium when the resultant force is zero, the scalar product for work and projections, and the vector product for torque and cross-product direction using the right-hand rule.

Practise Vectors and Equilibrium

431 free Vectors and Equilibrium MCQs from Physics, each with the correct answer and an explanation. Unlimited attempts, no account needed.

Exams that ask Physics questions like this

Physics is on 13 papers prepared for on TestUstad, and all of them draw the same bank, so this question is worth knowing for every one of them.

Related questions