Speed is a scalar type of measurement and velocity is a vector type measurement. When a student describes the speed of a car they might say the car was traveling at 55 miles per hour. When the same student characterizes the velocity of the same car during the same time they might say the car was traveling 55 miles per hour to the North. Based on this information the difference between scalar and vector measurements is that— Speed is a scalar type of measurement and velocity is a vector type measurement. When a student describes the speed of a car they might say the car was traveling at 55 miles per hour. When the same student characterizes the velocity of the same car during the same time they might say the car was traveling 55 miles per hour to the North. Based on this information the difference between scalar and vector measurements is that—