VECTOR

By :

AMIR SALEH, S.Pd

SCALARS AND VECTORS

SCALAR
A scalar quantity has only
magnitude and is completely
specified by a number and a
unit.
Examples are : mass (2 kg),
volume (5 L), and
frequency (60 Hz).
Scalar quantities of the same
kind are added by using
ordinary arithmetic.

SCALARS AND VECTORS

VECTOR
A

vector quantity has both

magnitude and direction.
Examples are displacement
(an airplane has flown 200 km
to the southwest), velocity (a
car is moving at 60 km/h to
the north), and force (a
person applies an upward
force of 25 N to a package).
When

vector quantities are

added, their directions must be
taken into account.

Vector notation
1. A vector is denoted either by an arrow on top
or by bold print. Example: The
r vector of
acceleration a is written either as:
or as: a.
a
Both methods are used
2. The magnitude of a vector is denoted either
by the symbol: or by the symbol of the
vector written with regular type. Example:
r
the magnitude of the acceleration vector acan
be written either as:
or as: a
3. A vector is represented by an arrow whose
length is proportional to the vectors
magnitude. The arrow has the same direction
a
as the vector

EXAMPLE

RESULTANT
The resultant, or sum, of a number of
vectors of a particular type (force vectors,
for example) is that single vector that
would have the same effect as all the
original vectors taken together.

Vector Addition
Suppose 3 forces act on an
object at the same time. Fnet
is not 15 N because these
forces arent working
together. But theyre not
4N
completely opposing each
either. So how do find Fnet ?
The answer is to add the
vectors ... not their
3N
magnitudes, but the vectors
themselves. There are two
basic ways to add vectors.
Tip

to tail method
Parallelogram method

8N

Tip to Tail Method

in-line examples
12 N

9N

21 N
9N

12 N

Place the tail of one vector

at the tip of the other. The
vector sum (also called the
resultant) is shown in red.
It starts where the black
vector began and goes to
the tip of the blue one. In
these cases, the vector
sum represents the net
force. You can only add
or subtract magnitudes
when the vectors are
in-line!

20 N

16 N

20 N

4N

16 N

Tip to Tail 2 Vectors

To add the red and blue displacement vectors first
note:
Vectors can only be added if they are of the
same quantityin this case, displacement.
The magnitude of the resultant must be less
than 7 m (5 + 2 = 7) and greater than 3 m
(5 - 2 = 3).

5m

2m

Place the vectors tip to tail

and draw a vector from the
tail of the first to the tip of
Interpretation: Walking 5 m
the second.
in the direction of the blue
2m
vector and then 2 m in the
direction of the red one is
5m
equivalent to walking in the
direction of the black vector.
+
blue
The distance walked this way

Tip to Tail 3 Vectors

We can add 3 or more

vectors by placing them tip
to tail in any order, so long
as they are of the same
type (force, velocity,
displacement, etc.).
blue + green + red

Parallelogram Method
This time well add red &
blue by placing the tails
together and drawing a
parallelogram with dotted
lines. The resultants tail is
at the same point as the
other tails. Its tip is at the
intersection of the dotted
lines.
Note: Opposite
sides of a
parallelogram are
congruent.

Comparison of Methods
+
d
e
r
blue
Tip to tail method

Parallelogram method

The resultant
has the same
magnitude and
direction
regardless of
the method
used.

Vector Subtraction
red - blue

Put vector tails together and

complete the triangle, pointing
to the vector that comes first
in the subtraction.
Why it works: In the first
diagram, blue and black are tip
to tail, so

blue - red

blue + black = red

red blue = black.

Note that red - blue is the opposite of blue red.

VECTOR COMPONENTS
A vector in two dimensions may be
resolved into two component vectors
acting along any two mutually
perpendicular directions.

Draw and calculate the

components of the vector F
o
(250
N,
235
)
F = F cos
x

= 250 cos (235o)

= - 143.4 N
Fy = F sin
= 250 sin (235o)F
x
= - 204.7 N

Fy

VECTOR ADDITION: COMPONENT METHOD

To add two or more vectors A, B, C, by the
component method, follow this procedure:
1. Resolve the initial vectors into components x
and y.
2. Add the components in the x direction to give
x and add the components in the y direction
to give y .
That is, the magnitudes of x and y are given
by, respectively:
x = Ax + Bx + Cx
y = Ay + By + Cy

01. Calculate the magnitude and

direction of the resultant R from
its components by using the
Pythagorean 2theorem:
2

R x y

and

tan

y
x

02. Three ropes are tied to a

stake and the following forces
are exerted. Find the resultant
A (20 N, 0)
force.
B (30 N, 150)
C (40 N, 232)

A (20 N, 0)
B (30 N, 150)
C (40 N, 232)

x-component
20 cos 0
30 cos 150
40 cos 232

y-component
20 sin 0
30 sin 150
40 sin 232

x = - 30.6 N

y = -16.5 N

R (30.6) (16.5)
2

= 34.7 N

 tan

y
x

tan

16.5
30.6

Since x = (-) and y = (-)

R is in the III Quadrant:
therefore:
180 + 28.3 = 208.3
R (34.7 N, 208.3)

= 28.3

Other Operations
Vectors

are not multiplied, at least not

the way numbers are, but there are
two types of vector products that will
be explained later.
Cross product
Dot product
These products are different than scalar
mult.

There

is no such thing as division of

vectors
Vectors can be divided by scalars.

Dot Products
First recall vector addition in component form:

x1, y1, z1 +
x2, y2, z2 = x1 + x2,

y1 + y , z1 + z2
2

Its just component-wise addition.

Note that the sum of two vectors is a vector.
For a dot product we do component-wise multiplication
and add up the results:

x1, y1, z1 x2, y2, z2 =x1 x2

+ y1 y

z1 z2

Note that the dot product of two vectors is a

scalar!

Ex: -2, 3, 101, 6, -5 m = -2 + 18 - 50 = -34

NDot products are used to find the work done by a
force applied over a distance, as well see in the

Dot Product Properties

The dot product of two vectors is a scalar.
It can be proven that a b = a b cos, where i
the
angle between a and b.
The dot product of perpendicular vectors is zero.
The dot product of parallel vectors is simply the
product of
a b ba
their magnitudes.
=

A dot product is commutative:

A dot product can be performed on two vectors of
the

Unit Vectors in 2-D

Any vector can be written as the sum of its components.

The vector v = -3, 4 indicates 3 units left and 4

units up, which is the sum of its components:
v = -3, 4 = -3, 0 + 0, 4
Lets factor out what we can from each vector in the
sum:
v = -3, 4 = -3 1, 0 + 4 0, 1
The vectors on the right side are each of magnitude
one. For this reason they are called unit vectors.
A shorthand for the unit vector 1, 0 is i.
A shorthand for the unit vector 0, 1 is j.

Thus, v = -3, 4 = -3 i + 4 j

Unit Vectors in 3-D

One way to interpret the vector v = 7, -5, 9 is
that it indicates 7 units east, 5 units south, and 9
units up. v can be written as the sum components
as follows:

v = 7, -5, 9 = 7, 0, 0 + 0, -5, 0 + 0,
9 = 7 1, 0, 0 - 5 0, 1, 0 + 9 0, 0, 1

= 7 i - 5 j + 9
k

In 3-D we define these unit vectors:

i = 1, 0, 0 ,
j = 0, 1, 0 , and k = 0,
0, 1

(continued on next
slide)

Cross Products
Let v1 = x1, y1, and v2 = x2, y2, z2
By
of these vectors
z1 definition, the cross product
.

(pronounced v1 cross v2) is given by the following

determinant.

i
v1 v2
=

x1 y1 z1
x2 y2 z2

= (y1 z2 - y2 z1) i - (x1 z2 - x2 z1) j + (x1 y2 - x2

y
1) kthat the cross product of two vectors is another
Note
vector!
Cross products are used a lot in physics, e.g., torque
is a vector defined as the cross product of a
displacement vector and a force vector. Well learn

Right hand rule

A quick way to determine the direction of a cross
product is to use the right hand rule. To find a
b, place the knife edge of your right hand (pinky
side) along a and curl your hand toward b,
making a fist.
thumb then points in the
a bYour
.
direction of
a b
It can be proven that the
magnitude of

a b

is given by:

| a b | = a b sin
where is the angle between
a and b.

Dot Product vs. Cross Product

1. The dot product of two vectors is a scalar; the cros

product
is another vector (perpendicular to each of the
original).

a b

- b a.

2. A dot product is commutative; a cross product is

fact,
3. In
Dot
product
=

definition:

x , y , z

Cross product
definition: v
1

x , y , z

x1 y1 z1
x2 y2 z2

4. a b = a b cos, and
|a b | =

a b sin

x1 x2 + y1 y2 + z1 z2

THANKS