Is Pressure a Scalar Quantity or a Vector?

AI Thread Summary
Pressure is fundamentally a scalar quantity because it does not possess intrinsic direction; it acts uniformly in all directions at a point within a fluid. While force is a vector and can be directed, pressure relates to the force exerted per unit area, which is a scalar relationship. In fluids, pressure is the same in all orientations, making it scalar, but when pressure acts on a surface, it creates a normal force, introducing a directional aspect. The discussion also touches on the concept of the stress tensor, where pressure is the trace of this tensor, reinforcing its scalar nature. Overall, pressure is defined in relation to the area it acts upon, but without a surface, it remains a scalar quantity.
  • #101
Ok now i consider the point at the centre of the cube.And I will prefer engineer's method.And I hope thise methods are somewhat lengthy but will give me what i need and I think the tradational engineer's method can be found somewhere in the net.Thank you all guys.I hope i can understand how to make stress tensor matrix after studying engineers method and also hope you people will continue your support in case i ask for further help!
 
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  • #102
It will take quite a bit of writing out. I will try to post something over the weekend.
 
  • #103
No worries if you cannot.
 

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