Asked by Utibe

list of unit and stating whether there are scalar or vector

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Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Brief note first: a unit itself is neither scalar nor vector. Whether a measurement is scalar or vector depends on the physical quantity being measured (for example, the unit "metre" is used for both scalar distance and vector displacement). Below is a list of common SI units, the typical physical quantity they measure, and whether that quantity is a scalar or vector (with short clarifications where useful).

- m (metre) — length / distance: scalar
- displacement uses m too but is a vector.
- kg (kilogram) — mass: scalar
- s (second) — time: scalar
- A (ampere) — electric current (conventional): scalar
- current density (A/m²) is a vector field.
- K (kelvin) — temperature: scalar
- mol (mole) — amount of substance: scalar
- cd (candela) — luminous intensity: scalar (depends on direction but treated as a scalar quantity per direction)
- N (newton) — force: vector
- Pa (pascal) — pressure: scalar
- stress is a tensor (uses same units).
- J (joule) — energy / work: scalar
- W (watt) — power: scalar
- C (coulomb) — electric charge: scalar
- V (volt) — electric potential: scalar
- Ω (ohm) — electrical resistance: scalar
- S (siemens) — electrical conductance: scalar
- T (tesla) — magnetic flux density (B-field): vector
- Wb (weber) — magnetic flux: scalar (signed scalar for flux through a surface)
- H (henry) — inductance: scalar
- Hz (hertz) — frequency: scalar
- m/s — speed: scalar; velocity (same unit) is a vector
- m/s² — acceleration: vector
- kg·m/s — linear momentum: vector
- N·m — torque (moment): vector (axial/pseudovector)
- note: N·m used as work/energy is a scalar (J), but context matters.
- N/C or V/m — electric field: vector
- A/m² — current density: vector
- C/m² — surface charge density: scalar
- lm (lumen) — luminous flux: scalar
- lx (lux) — illuminance: scalar
- Bq (becquerel) — activity (radioactivity): scalar
- Gy (gray), Sv (sievert) — radiation dose: scalar

If you want, I can produce a longer list or organize this by scalar-only, vector-only, and ambiguous units (units used for both scalar and vector quantities).