What is the meaning of magnitude in physics?

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Jasmine Grover

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The magnitude of a quantity refers to a number that indicates how large or small the measurement of the quantity is as compared to a given reference value (mostly taken to be zero).

  • Magnitude in physics is simply understood as “quantity or distance”.
  • It denotes the absolute or relative direction or size in which a particular object moves.
  • A Magnitude is a quantitative number whereas intensity describes the idea of an impact. 
  • In physics, magnitude defines the size of an entity or an object’s speed when it is moving.
  • For example, if a car travels faster than an adjacent bike, the magnitude of the speed of the car is greater than the speed of the bike.
  • There are two types of quantity – vector quantity and scalar quantity. Magnitude is a common factor for both these quantities.

Magnitude in physics

In physics, the magnitude of a quantity gives us an idea of how large it is with respect to some reference value. In mathematics, a physical quantity is represented by a numerical value and a unit. 


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CBSE CLASS XII Related Questions

  • 1.
    A current of \(4.0\,\text{A}\) flows through a wire of length \(1\,\text{m}\) and cross-sectional area \(1.0\,\text{mm}^2\), when a potential difference of \(2\,\text{V}\) is applied across its ends. Calculate the resistivity of the material of the wire.


      • 2.
        In a region, the electric potential varies as \(V = 10 - 50x\), where \(V\) is in volts and \(x\) is in meters. The electric field in the region is

          • \(10\ \text{N/C}\) along \(+x\)
          • \(10\ \text{N/C}\) along \(-x\)
          • \(50\ \text{N/C}\) along \(+x\)
          • \(50\ \text{N/C}\) along \(-x\)

        • 3.
          Draw the plot of potential energy of a pair of nucleons as a function of their separation. Write two important conclusions that can be drawn from this plot.


            • 4.

              A magnet held vertically, with its north pole down, is dropped along the axis of a closed solenoid placed vertically on a table. If the observer looks down from the top,

                • the induced current will flow in the anticlockwise direction.
                • the induced current will flow in the clockwise direction.
                • no induced current will flow in the solenoid.
                • the magnet will fall with a constant velocity.

              • 5.

                The number of free electrons per unit volume ($\text{m}^3$) in a wire made of copper (resistivity $1.72 \times 10^{-8}\,\Omega\,\text{m}$) is $8.5 \times 10^{28}$. Calculate the average number of collisions made by an electron in one second when an electric field is maintained in the wire.


                  • 6.

                    Find the ratio $\dfrac{\lambda_\alpha}{\lambda_p}$ of the de Broglie wavelength $\lambda_\alpha$ associated with an alpha particle to the de Broglie wavelength $\lambda_p$ associated with a proton if both are moving with the same velocity.

                      CBSE CLASS XII Previous Year Papers

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