Vectors

From the word vehere meaning to carry.

completely described by their magnitudes,

appropriate units and directions.

Typical examples are force, displacement,

velocity, acceleration, momentum and torque.

Usually represented by an arrow

 Scalar Quantities
Scalar comes from the Latin word scala
meaning steps or ladder.
Scalar quantities are those that can be
described completely by their magnitudes and
appropriate units.
Examples of scalar quantities are mass,
temperature, speed, time, work, energy and
distance.
In medicine, a vector is a carrier that transfers an infective agent from one host to
another. Dogs and cats are vectors that transmit the rabies virus to humans. The
Anopheles mosquitoes and Aedes mosquitoes are carriers of virus that causes
malaria and dengue fever, respectively
You have given me
direction. You have
given me a different
meaning.

I was a scalar
until you
walked into my
life. Now, I am a
VECTOR!
 VECTOR NOTATION
1. A vector is denoted a capital letter in
boldface.
2. The magnitude of a vector is by a capital
letter not in boldface.
Example: A force F is 3newtons North.
F is 3newtons.
 3. A vector is represented by an arrow whose
length is scaled to be proportional to the
vectors magnitude. The arrow has the same
direction as the vector.
 Direction of a Vector

Direction of a vector is based on the east-west line.

 Sample Problem 2.1
Specify the directions of vectors A, B, C and D
Physics -Bit

Concept of
vectors is
utilized in road
signs.
 Pillar of Science
Pythagoras is a Greek philosopher and considered the first
true mathematician. He is best remembered for the
Pythagorean theorem. He believed that all things are
numbers and that Mathematics is the basis for everything.
The physical world can understood through mathematics.
Pythagoras studied properties of numbers and classified them
as even numbers, odd numbers, triangular numbers and
perfect numbers etc. Pythagoras also asserted that dynamics
of the structure of the universe lies on the interaction of the
contraries or the opposites, such as, light and darkness,
straight and crooked, right and left, singularity and plurality,
male and female, and good and bad.

Operations on Vectors
 Vector Addition
Resultant or vector sum single vector that, if
substituted in place of several vectors to be
added, would produce the same combined
effect of these vectors.
The letter R is usually used to represent the
resultant.
Two important properties of vector addition,
a) commutative
b) associative.
 Special Cases of Vector Addition
For two vectors acting in the same direction
The angle between the two vectors is zero. The
magnitude of the resultant is equal to the sum
of the magnitudes of the vectors. The
direction of the resultant is the same as the
directions of the vectors.
Example: Two forces-one of 50N and another
of 20N both acting north will produce a
resultant force of 70N acting north.
For two vectors acting in opposite directions
The angle between the two vectors is zero. The
magnitude of the resultant is difference of the
magnitudes of the vectors. The direction of
the resultant is the same as the direction of
the larger vector.
Example: Two forces-one of 50N and another
of 20N both acting south will produce a
resultant force of 30N acting north.
The resultant of two vectors depends on the angle between them. As the
angle increases, the resultant decreases.
Methods of Vector Addition

Graphical Analytical

Parallelogram Sine Law and

Method Cosine Law

Polygon Component
Method Method
 Parallelogram Method
1. Using a suitable scale, draw the arrows
representing the vectors from a common point.
2. Construct a parallelogram using the two vectors
as sides.
3. Draw the diagonal of the parallelogram from the
common point. This represents the resultant R.
4. Measure the length of the arrow representing
the resultant and from the scale used,
determine its magnitude.
5. With your protractor, determine the direction of
the resultant.
 Sample Problem 2.2
Using a scale of 1 cm : 1N,
the parallelogram of
forces using forces A and
B as sides is drawn. The
length of the arrow
representing the resultant
R is found to be 6cm.
Using the scale of 1cm:
1N, the magnitude of R is
6N. Using a protractor,
the angle that R makes
with the horizontal is
approximately 55o.
 Parallelogram Method for More Than
Two Vectors
After drawing the resultant of the first two
vectors, construct a second parallelogram using
this resultant and the third vector as sides.
Draw the diagonal of the parallelogram from the
common point. This is now the new resultant.
The process is continued until all vectors have
been added.
The magnitude of the final resultant is
determined from the scale used. The direction is
measured by a protractor.
 Sample Problem 2.7
A particle is being acted by the following
forces: F1 = 4.0 N East, F2 = 6.0N northeast and
F3 =8N south. Find the resultant by the
parallelogram method. You may add the
forces according to the following groupings A)
(F1 + F3) + F2 B) (F1 +F2 )+ F3. C) F1 +(F2 + F3 )
The resultants in the two figures are found to have 9 scale units
corresponding to 9 N. The angle that the resultant makes with the x-
axis in the two figures is 20o. Note the resultant is not altered when
we change their groupings of the vector to be added. Vector
addition is associative.
 Polygon or Tip to Tail Method
1.Represent each vector quantity by an arrow
drawn to scale.
2. Draw the first arrow on the rectangular
coordinate system, observing properly its
direction.
3. Connect the tail of the second vector to the head
of the first vector. Connect the tail of the third
vector to the head of the second vector. You may
continue drawing the vectors head to tail until
you draw the last vector to be added
 The resultant is the vector that will close the
figure formed by connecting the vectors. This
resultant is drawn from the tail of the first
vector to the head of the last vector.
Measure the length of the arrow representing
the resultant. Determine the magnitude of
the resultant from the scale used.
Use your protractor to determine the
direction of the resultant.
 Sample Problem 2.8
You are out for an early morning walk. You
walk 5.0m south and 12.0 m east. Suppose
you decided to walk farther and go 4.0m
southwest and 6.0m west. How far are you
now from your starting point and roughly in
what direction? B) Would you have arrived at
the same spot had you taken the steps in this
order: 12.0m east, 4.0m southwest, 5.0m
south and 6.0m west? Use the polygon
method.
Solution

The resultant is approximately 8.0m. The direction of the

resultant is approximately 68o S of E.
 SINE LAW and COSINE LAW

Sample Problem 2.4 Compute the resultant R of the

two forces force A = 3N North and force B = 4N
30oN of E.
Solution:

From the figure, the angle

opposite R is 120o. Using
cosine law,
R2 = 3N2 + 4N2
2(3N)(4N)cos120o
R = 6N
To determine direction of R,
we may use sine law and 4N 6N

solve for <AOR. sin AOR sin 120 o

Sin <AOR=0.5774 . <AOR= 35.3o. Note that this angle is

with respect to the vertical. The angle that R makes with
the horizontal is equal to 90o- 35.3o= 54.7o. Thus R = 6N
54.7o N of E.
 Component Method
Resolve the given vectors into its horizontal and vertical
components. The components may be positive or negative
depending on which quadrant the vector is found.

Get the algebraic sum of all the horizontal components.

Get also the algebraic sum of the vertical components.
These sums represent the horizontal component and the
vertical component of the resultant, respectively.

Calculate the magnitude of the resultant using the

Pythagorean theorem.

R ( x) ( y )
2 2
 From the signs of sum of horizontal
components and the vertical components
determine the quadrant where the resultant
is. This will indicate the direction of the
resultant vector

Solve for the angle the resultant makes

with the horizontal.

tan 1 y
x
HUGOT LINES

II
I
SIN All functions
(csc)

III IV
TAN COS
(cot) (sec)

Sin-Ta-Co
Sample Problem 2.11
A jogger runs 4.00m 40.0o N of E, 2.00m East,
5.20m 30.0oS of W, 6.50 m S and then
collapses. Find his resultant displacement
from where he started.
 A Case of Vector Addition
In 1947, a converted British
bomber named "Stardust
crashed over the Andes
because of navigational error.
The plane flying west have
flown against a jet stream due
east, slowed it down so that
when the crew calculated the
descent they believed they
were clear of Andes range,
when they were still over it.
They have descended too
soon.
THE STARDUST
 Resolution of Vectors Along Other
Axes
Sample Problem
A box weighing 98 N
rests on a plane
inclined 40o with the
horizontal. Find the
components of its
weight parallel and
perpendicular to the
plane.
 Subtraction

A B = A + (-B)
The negative of a vector B, written as B is a
vector equal in magnitude to B but oppositely
directed.
Sample Problem
Give the negative of the following vectors: A =
2.0m North, B = 4.0m 30oSouth of West.
Answers: -A =2.0m South and -B = 4.0m 30o
North of East. Note that we dont place a
negative sign before the magnitudes of the
vectors. The sign is for opposite
 VECTOR
MUTLIPLICATION

Product of a Vector
Cross Product Quantity and a Scalar Dot Product
Quantity
 Product of a Vector Quantity V and a
Scalar Quantity k
written as kV,
product is a vector quantity
A) The magnitude of the product is k
multiplied by the magnitude of V.
B)The direction of the product is the same
as V if the product is positive and opposite if
product is negative.
Sample Problem
An unbalanced force F acting on a body of mass m
will impart to it an acceleration a according to the
equation

F=ma

What force is needed to give a 15 kg mass an

acceleration of 2.4m/s2 directed to the East?
 Dot product
A B = ABcosq
where q is the smaller angle
between A and B A B = ABcosq
scalar product where q is the smaller angle
between A and B
Example : work
 Cross Product
written as Ax B.
product is a vector
A) Its magnitude is given ABsin
by AB sin where is the
smaller angle between A and B.
B) Direction is given by the Right
Hand Rule. Thumb points to the
direction of the product.

Example: Torque=dXF
Sample Problem
Two vectors F and D are perpendicular to each
other as shown. Find a) dot product and b)
cross product of F and D
Vectors in Space