Basic vector math you will need for this course
• Scalars and Vectors
• Multiplication of a Vector with a Scalar
• Component vectors
• Addition of vectors
• Component vectors: ‘tail-to-tip’ method
• Parallelogram method
• Product of 2 vectors
• dot product (the result is a scalar)
• vector product (the result is a vector)
• Trigonometry (including sin and cos laws)
Note: Use Chapters 3 of the textbook, your math books from high school or the web to
review the information listed above. A very comprehensive review of vectors and
trigonometry will be offered during the 1st tutorial (week of Sept. 11th).
Vectors
(Chapter 2)
Q. What is a vector?
A. A quantity with magnitude and direction
B
How do we write a vector?
10
9
8
7
6
A or A
5
4
A or A
3
2
1
0
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-2
-3
This is a unit vector Â
-4
Aˆ 1
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
Component vectors in 2D
10
9
y
A ( A iˆ A ˆj )
x y
8
7
6
Ay
2 2 5
A (A A ) x y 4
A
3
2
j 1
Ax x
0
i
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-2
-3
-4
A 4 3
2 2
-5
-6
-7
16 9 25 5 -8
-9
-10
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Vectors in 2D
Component vectors in 3D
z
Az
A A ( A x iˆ A y ˆj A z kˆ )
Ax Ay
Ax , Ay , Az Magnitudes of the
component vectors
x y
Ax
A ( Ax , Ay , Az ) A Ay
A
z
Multiplication of a Vector and a Scalar
10
9
Example b=2 8
7 C Ab
Ab C
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
A
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-2
-3
-4
-5
C A b
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
Q. What if b is < 0?
10
9
8
Example b=-2 7
Ab C
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
A
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
C A b
C Ab
-7
-8
-9
-10
General Rule for Multiplying a Vector
by a Scalar:
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Addition of 2 vectors at angle ≠ 90°
(component vector method – ‘tail-to-tip’)
10
y
9
Use tail to tip
8
A=6x+1y 7 C=A+B
C=A+B
6
B=3x+6y 5
4 B B
3
C=A+B 2 A
1
0
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
x
9 10
-2
-3
-4
C=9x+7y -5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
Addition of 2 vectors at angle ≠ 90°
(parallelogram method)
10
y
A=6x+1y 9
Use Parallelogram rule
8
7
B=3x+6y 6
5 C=A+B
C=A+B 4 B
3
2 A
C=9x+7y 1
0
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
x
9 10
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
Generalized algebraic Addition of Vectors
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In-Class Voting Question
1. 2. 3. 4.
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Vector Subtraction
F1 F2 F1 F2
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In-Class Voting Question
1. 2. 3. 4.
Copyright © 2014 by Nelson Education Ltd.
The Dot Product of Two Vectors
The dot, or scalar, product is a
scalar quantity that represents the
product of the magnitudes of a
vector and the component of
another vector projected on to it.
Copyright © 2014 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Properties of a Dot Product
• A dot product of two perpendicular vectors equals
zero.
• A dot product of two vectors of given magnitudes is
greatest when the vectors are parallel to each other.
• A dot product of two vectors of given magnitudes is
smallest when the vectors are antiparallel to each
other.
• A dot product of two vectors is commutative:
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The Cross Product of Two Vectors
The cross, or vector, product of
two vectors defines a vector that
is perpendicular to the two given
vectors.
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The Cross Product of Two Vectors
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Properties of a Cross Product
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Summing Up…
• In Chapter 3 we learned about quantities with
magnitude and direction: vectors.
• The dot product is used to determine the
projections of vectors onto various directions.
• The cross product of vectors can be used to define
or calculate physical quantities, such as angular
momentum, torque, and magnetic force.
• In Chapter 2 we will look at three key vector
quantities: position, velocity and acceleration.
Copyright © 2014 by Nelson Education Ltd.