Q. 4.5 Read each statement below carefully and state with reasons, if it is true or false :
(a) The magnitude of a vector is always a scalar,
(b) each component of a vector is always a scalar,
(c) the total path length is always equal to the magnitude of the displacement vector of a particle.
(d) the average speed of a particle (defined as total path length divided by the time taken to cover the path) is either greater or equal to the magnitude of the average velocity of the particle over the same interval of time,
(e) Three vectors not lying in a plane can never add up to give a null vector.
(a) True.
Since the magnitude of a vector will not have any direction (also it is a number), so it will be scaler.
(b) False.
The component of a vector will always be a vector as it will also have a direction specified.
(c) False.
This is true only in case when the particle is moving in a straight line. This is because path length is a scalar quantity whereas displacement is vector.
(d) True
From the above part (c) it is clear that total path length is either equal or greater than the displacement. As a result given statement is true.
(e) True
Since they don't lie in the same plane so they cannot give null vector after addition.