VECTORS
Prepared by: Engr. Evanzon P. Rupinta, SO2
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
▪ At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
✓ Differentiate Scalar Quantities to Vector Quantities
✓ Learn the Properties of a Vector
✓ Learn how to add and subtract vectors
✓ Learn the components of a vector
✓ Learn what are unit vectors
✓ Learn to solve problems involving vectors
SCALAR QUANTITIES
SCALAR QUANTITIES
▪ A scalar is any positive or negative physical quantity that can be completely
specified by its magnitude along with its units.
▪ The rules of ordinary arithmetic is used to manipulate the values of scalar
quantities.
▪ Magnitude – is the numerical value representing the size or extent of a quantity.
VECTOR QUANTITIES
VECTOR QUANTITIES
▪ A vector is any physical quantity that requires both magnitude and direction.
▪ The magnitude of a vector is always positive number or zero.
▪ The magnitude of a vector can sometimes be written as a quantity with an arrow
Ԧ Or written as bold faced (A).
above it to indicate that it is a vector (𝐴).
PROPERTIES OF A
VECTOR
EQUALITY OF TWO VECTORS
▪ Two vectors 𝐴Ԧ and 𝐵 is said to be equal if they have the same magnitude and is
pointing in the same direction.
▪ To explain further, 𝐴Ԧ = 𝐵 if A = B and if 𝐴Ԧ and 𝐵 points at the same direction
along parallel lines.
▪ This property allows us to move the vector to a position parallel to itself in a
diagram without affecting the vector.
ADDING VECTORS
▪ The rules for adding vectors are conveniently described by a graphical method.
𝑅 = 𝐴Ԧ + 𝐵
▪ The resultant vector 𝑅 is the vector drawn from the tail of vector 𝐴Ԧ to the tip of
vector 𝐵.
▪ A geometric construction can also be used to add two or more vectors. The
resultant vector 𝑅 is the vector drawn from the tail of the first vector to the tip of
the last vector. In other words, the resultant vector 𝑅 completes the polygon.
This technique of adding vectors is called “head to tail method”.
ADDING VECTORS
▪ When two vectors are added, the sum is independent of the order of addition.
This property is the commutative law of addition:
𝐴Ԧ + 𝐵 = 𝐵 + 𝐴Ԧ
▪ When three or more vectors are added, their sum is independent of the way in
which the individual vectors are grouped together. This property is the
associative law of addition:
(𝐴Ԧ + 𝐵) + 𝐶Ԧ = 𝐴Ԧ + (𝐵 + 𝐶)
Ԧ
▪ When two or more vectors are added together, they must all have the same units
and they must all be the same type of quantity.
NEGATIVE OF A VECTOR
▪ The negative of a vector 𝐴Ԧ is defined as a vector when added to the vector 𝐴Ԧ the
resultant vector would be equal to zero.
𝐴Ԧ + (−𝐴)
Ԧ =0
▪ The vectors 𝐴Ԧ and −𝐴Ԧ have the same magnitude but point in opposite direction.
SUBTRACTING VECTORS
▪ The operation for vector subtraction makes use of the definition of negative of a
vector
𝐴Ԧ + (−𝐵) = 𝐴Ԧ - 𝐵
MULTIPLYING A VECTOR BY A SCALAR
▪ If vector 𝐴Ԧ is multiplied by a positive scalar m, the product m𝐴Ԧ is a vector that
has the same direction as 𝐴Ԧ and magnitude mA.
▪ If vector 𝐴Ԧ is multiplied by a negative scalar -m, the product -m𝐴Ԧ is a vector that
has the opposite direction as 𝐴Ԧ and magnitude -mA.
Example No. 1
▪ A car travels 20.0 km due north and then 35.0 km in a direction 60.0° west of
north. Find the magnitude and direction of the car’s resultant displacement.
▪ Ans: d = 48.2 km, 𝜃 = 38.9° 𝑊𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ
COMPONENTS OF A VECTOR
▪ Components of a vector or rectangular components are projections of a vector
along coordinate axis.
▪ Any vector can be completely described by its components.
▪ These are scalar components.
▪ Vector components on the other hand, contain magnitude and direction. These
are combination of the scalar components and a unit vector.
UNIT VECTORS
▪ A unit vector is a dimensionless vector having a magnitude of exactly 1.
▪ It lacks both dimension and a unit.
▪ Unit vectors are used to specify a given direction and have no other physical
significance. They are used solely as a bookkeeping convenience in describing
direction in space.
▪ Symbols 𝑖,Ƹ 𝑗,Ƹ and 𝑘 are usually used to represent unit vectors pointing in the
positive x, y, and z axis respectively.
▪ The product of the component of a vector and a unit vector is a component
vector.
Example No. 2
▪ Find the sum of two displacement vectors 𝐴Ԧ and 𝐵 lying in the xy plane and given
by:
Ԧ (2.0 𝑖Ƹ + 2.0 𝑗)m
𝐴= Ƹ and 𝐵 = 2.0𝑖Ƹ − 4.0𝑗Ƹ 𝑚
▪ Ans: d = 4.5m, 𝜃 = 333° 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
Sources:
▪ Serway, R. & Jewett Jr., J. (2014). Physics for Scientist and Engineers with Modern
Physics. 9th Ed. BROOKS/COLE Cengage Learning.
▪ Hibbeler, R.C. (2016). Engineering Mechanics: Statics. 14th Ed. Pearson.
▪ Walker, J. (2014). Fundamentals of Physics. 10th Ed. John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Thank You!
