What are Vectors?
•Vectors are pairs of a direction and a
magnitude. We usually represent a vector
with an arrow: Magnitude
Direction of vector
Indicates that quantity
has direction
Physical component
quantity
• The direction of the arrow is the direction
of the vector, the length is the magnitude.
23.5 m, North
Illustrating
Vector
Set a Scale
1 cm= 4.7 m/s
23.5 m = 5 cm
137 km, 25˚ South of West
Illustrating
Vector
Set a Scale
1 cm= 27.4 km
137 km = 5 cm
HEAD-TO-TAIL SET Set appropriate scale.
Identify the vectors from a situation and
IDENTIFY
label them as A, B, C…
METHOD
PLOT Plot the first vector
From the head of the first vector, draw
DRAW the second vector, then draw the third
vector from the head of the second
Connect the tail of the first vector to the
CONNECT
head of the last vector
POSITION
Plot the first Vector
VECTOR SET SCALE:
1cm=100km
Armani drives Identify Vectors:
125 km from
home towards
north then he 1.25cm
made a 250km
0
35 South of East
turn before 2.5cm
heading 210 km
directly south.
What is Armani’s 2.1cm
displacement?
Draw the 2nd Vector from Connect the tail of the first to
the head of the first… the head of the last
R= 3cm, 540 South of East
SET SCALE: 1cm=100km
R= 300km, 540 South of East
KEY TERM:
DISPLACEMENT
•DISPLACEMENT is a
vector whose length is the
shortest distance from the
initial to the final position.
•Distance is the path
taken by an object as it
moves from initial position
to final position.
DISPLACEMENT:
POSITION
VECTORS
R= 35m, North
(+A)+(+B)=R
15m+20m=R
A student walked 15m North
then after few minutes RESULTANT
continued walking 20m on the
same direction. VECTOR
What is the student’s location The combined
relative to its starting point? effect of VECTOR
quantities
VELOCITY
VECTOR
(-A)+(+B)=R
-13m+10m=R
A motor boat sails against a
stream of a river. The velocity of R=-3m/s
the river’s current is 13m/s due
west while the boat’s velocity is R=3m/s, West
10m/s due east.
What is the relative velocity of
the boat?
VECTOR ADDITION
•Adding vectors is the process of finding
the sum or Resultant of two or more
vector quantities
VECTOR ADDITION
GRAPHICAL METHOD
3 forces act on an object at the same time. Fnet is 8N
NOT 15 N because these forces aren’t working
together. But they’re not completely opposing each
either. So how do find Fnet ? The answer is to add the
4N
vectors ... NOT THEIR MAGNITUDES, BUT
THE VECTORS THEMSELVES.
There are two basic ways to add vectors: 3N
PARALLELOGRAM METHOD
HEAD-TO-TAIL METHOD
TAIL-TO-HEAD SET Set appropriate scale.
Identify the vectors from a situation and
IDENTIFY
METHOD
label them as A, B, C…
PLOT Plot the first vector
From the head of the first vector, draw the
DRAW second vector, then draw the third vector
from the head of the second
Connect the tail of the first vector to the
CONNECT
head of the last vector
PARALLELOGRAM
METHOD
R = 6.2 cm, 38˚ N of E
Note: Opposite sides of
a parallelogram
are congruent.
VECTOR ADDITION
ANALYTICAL METHOD
TRIGONOMETRIC METHOD
ALGRBRAIC METHOD
COMPONENT METHOD
TRIGONOMETRIC
METHOD
Law of Cosines:
These two sides are repeated.
This side is always opposite this angle.
When to Use
The Law of Cosines is useful for finding:
• the third side of a triangle when
we know two sides and the angle
between them
• the angles of a triangle when we
know all three sides
What to do?
R=4 In order to find the
magnitude of grey line,
we must implement
the law of cosines with
135˚
ALGEBRAIC METHOD
30.814 m/s
25°
14.369
m/s
34 m/s
Note that a component can be as long, but no longer, than the vector itself. This is
because the sides of a right triangle can’t be longer than the hypotenuse.
If theoretical results (from computation
does not match the experimental results
(from graphical method), DOUBLE CHECK
YOUR ANSWERS or THERE IS A NEED TO
REVISE VECTOR DIAGRAM.
2.3 km
If theoretical results (from computation
does not match the experimental results
(from graphical method), DOUBLE CHECK
YOUR ANSWERS or THERE IS A NEED TO
REVISE VECTOR DIAGRAM.
2.3 km
2.3 km
2.3 km
2.3 km
RECALL:
PYTHAGOREAN
THEOREM
•
0.5 0.71 0.87
0.87 0.71 0.5
0.58 1.73
RECALL:
PYTHAGOREAN
THEOREM
•
Hypotenuse ( )
Hypotenuse ( )
TRY THIS!
• A motorboat heads due east at 16 m/s across a river that flows due north at
9.0 m/s. What is the resultant velocity of the boat?
COMPONENT • Any vector directed in two dimensions can be
thought of as having two parts
METHOD • Each part of a two-dimensional vector is known as
a component.
• The single two-dimensional vector could be
replaced by the two components.
RECALL:
PYTHAGOREAN
THEOREM
•
Hypotenuse ( )
Hypotenuse ( )
RESOLUTION
of a VECTOR
The process of splitting a
vector into its
components.
21.65N
12.50N
STEPS in RESOLVING Vectors
1. Draw diagram in cartesian plane
2. Identify the angle of reference.
3. Draw the x-component and
y-component to enclose the
angle to form a right triangle.
4. Write general formula.
5. Identify opposite, adjacent,
hypotenuse and angle.
6. Rewrite Formula
7. Perform operation.
TRY THIS!
or
Assume that the
impostor is the one
who exerted the
greater force that
caused the death of
the crewmate.
TRY THIS!
or
106 N
106 N
TRY THIS!
106 N
106 N
NOTA BENE!
•Remember that Resolution of Vectors (force vectors) does NOT
mean creating two other vectors.
•Resolution only means separating the effects of the vector
along x-component and y-component.
•A force vector for example that acts in a certain direction is just
a single force, however its effect is acting in both x and y
direction.
•Vector acting directly towards N and S have no x-components
•Vectors acting directly towards E and W have no y-components
THEORY:
F=150N, 300 NofE
F+(-F)=0
F=150N, 300 SofW EQUILIBRANT
THEORY:
F=150N, 300 NofE
F+(-F)=0
F=150N, 300 SofW
THEORY:
F=150N, 300 NofE
This force can be separated to
independent effect as Fx and Fy
F=150N, 300 SofW
EXPERIMENTAL
F = 150N, 300 Nof E
Calculate %Error:
Of your Experimental
Results
F = 150N, 300 S of W
