LESSON 5

VECTORS
10 November 2016

Physical quantities
Scalar Quantity
Magnitude only (no direction)
Examples: mass, time, volume, temperature
can be manipulated using ordinary arithmetic?

YES!

Vector Quantity
Direction + Magnitude
Examples: Force, Velocity, Acceleration
can be manipulated using ordinary arithmetic?

NO! (theres another way)

Vectors
Represented by arrows
Arrowhead

Points to the direction of the vector

Length of the arrow

Represents the magnitude of a vector

Magnitude, A
Direction,

Vector Notation
When handwritten, use an arrow:
When dealing with just the magnitude of a

vector in print, an italic letter will be used: A

Italics will also be used to represent scalars

Which of the following is Not a scalar

quantity?
A) Time
B) Velocity
C) Energy
D) Density

Direction of a vector
Using the POSITIVE X-AXIS
y

150

30
210

Direction of a vector
Using the X- and Y-AXES
y

60
30

60

30

x
30 above x
60 to the left of +y

30 above +x
60 to the right of +y

Direction of a vector
Using the GEOGRAPHIC DIRECTIONS
N

60
W

30

60

30

30 N of W or 60 W of N
W 30N or N 60W
S

30 N of E or 60 E of N
E 30N or N 60E

Which of the following figure is 60 West of

North?

A)

B)
D)

C)

Properties of VECTORS
Equality of Two Vectors
Two vectors are equal if they have the same
magnitude and the same direction

Negative Vectors

AB

The negative of the vector is defined as the

vector that gives zero when added to the
original vector
Two vectors are negative if they have the
same magnitude but are 180 apart
(opposite directions)

Adding Vectors
Units must be the same, directions must be

noted
Geometric Methods

Use scale drawings

Algebraic Methods
The resultant vector (sum) is denoted as

VECTORS RESOLUTION
Graphical
Geometric method ( Triangle/Polygon
Method)
Algebraic /Analytical
Component Method

GRAPHICAL METHOD:
Adding Vectors Geometrically (Triangle or Polygon
Method)

Graphically Adding
Vectors
When you have many

vectors, just keep

repeating the tip-totail process until all
are included
The resultant is still
drawn from the origin
of the first vector to
the end of the last
vector

Notes about Vector Addition

Vectors obey the Commutative Law of
Addition
The order in which the vectors are added doesnt
affect the result

Vector Subtraction
Special case of

vector addition

Add the negative of

the subtracted
vector

Continue with

standard vector
addition procedure

This is also called the geometric

method.
A) Analytical Method
B) Component Method
C) Graphical Method
D) Algebraic Method

The Components of a
Vector
The x- and y-components
The x-component of a
vector is the projection
along A
the
x-axis
x A cos
The y-component of a

vectorAisy the
projection
A sin

along the y-axis

is measured with respect
Ay
1
2
2

A theAx-axis
x Ay
to

tan
Ax

What if the angle given is measured

from the y-axis?
The x- and y-components
The x-component of a
vector is the projection
along the
Ax x-axis
A sin

The y-component of a

A A cos
vector isy the projection
along the y-axis

Ax
tan
Ay

Apply: SOH-CAH-TOA!

Find the x component of the

given vector:

A 4.8km,32 below x
Ax 4.07 km

Find the y component of the

given vector:

A 4.8km,32 below x
Ay 2.54km

Ay

Ax

How do you solve for the RESULTANT

VECTOR using the component method?

Model Problem
A commuter airplane starts
from an airport and takes the
route as shown in the figure. The
plane first flies to city A, located
175 km away in a direction 30
north of east. Next it flies for 150
km 20 west of north, to city B.
Finally, the plane flies 190 km
due west, to city C. Find the
location of city C relative to the
location of the starting point.

STEP 1

A 175km,30 North of East

B 150km,20 West of North
Due West
C 190km,
B

Cx

By

Cy 0

Bx

20

Ax
A

Ay

30
x

STEP 2
X Components
Ax A cos 30 175km cos 30 151.55km
Bx B cos 70 150km cos 70 51.30km
C x C cos 0 190km cos 0 190.00km

Y Components

Ay A sin 30 175km sin 30 87.50km

B y B sin 70 150km sin 70 140.95km

C y C cos 0 190km sin 0 0km

STEP 3
X Components

Rx Ax Bx C x ...

Rx Ax ( Bx ) (C x )
Rx 151.55km (51.30km) (190.00km)
Rx 89.75km
R y Ay B y C y ...
Y Components
R y Ay B y C y
R y 87.50km 140.95km 0km
R y 228.45km

STEP 4

R?

R y 228.45km

Rx 89.75km

What is

R?

R y 228.45km

?
x

Rx 89.75km

R Rx Ry

What is

R?

R Rx Ry

R y 228.45km

?
x

Rx 89.75km

R 245.45km,

What is

Ry

tan

R
x

1 228.45km
tan

89.75km
1

R y 228.45km

68.55

Rx 89.75km
Final Answer:

68.55 North of West

Next Meeting: (10 Nov

2016)
Prepare for LEUTS
Practice problems:

Examples 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 on

pages 5963 of your
textbook.
ALABADO, JR