VECTORS & VECTOR
ADDITION
General Physics 1-Lesson 2
Objectives:
• Differentiate vector and scalar
quantities,
• Classifythe physical quantities as
scalar and vector quantity, and
• Perform addition of vectors.
SCALAR Scalar
Example Magnitude
A SCALAR quantity
is any quantity in Speed 35 m/s
physics that has
MAGNITUDE ONLY
Distance 25 meters
Number value Age 16 years
with units
VECTOR
A VECTOR Vector
Example
Magnitude and
Direction
quantity
is any quantity in
physics that has
Velocity 35 m/s, North
BOTH
MAGNITUDE,
Acceleration 10 m/s2, South
UNITS
and DIRECTION
Displacement 20 m, East
Vector quantities can be
identified by bold type
with an arrow above the
symbol.
V = 23 m/s NE
Vectors are represented
by drawing arrows
The length and direction
of a vector should be
drawn to a reasonable
scale size and show its
magnitude
10 km
20 km
VECTOR APPLICATION
•ADDITION: When two (2) vectors point
in the SAME direction, simply add them
together.
•When vectors are added together they
should be drawn head to tail to determine
the resultant or sum vector.
•The resultant goes from tail of A to head
of B.
•Let’s Practice
A man walks 46.5 m east, then another
20 m east.
Calculate his displacement relative to
where he started. +
46.5 m, E 20 m, E
66.5 m, E
•VECTOR APPLICATION
SUBTRACTION: When
two (2) vectors point in
the OPPOSITE
direction,
simply subtract them.
Let’s Practice some more….
A man walks 46.5 m east, then another
20 m west. Calculate his displacement
relative to where he started.
46.5 m, E
-
20 m, W
26.5 m, E
•RESULTANT DISPLACEMENT VECTOR
•A single vector representing the sum of 2
or more vectors.
• METHODS
• Graphical Method
• Polygon Method (head to tail)
• Parallelogram method
• Analytic Method
• PythagoreanTheorem
• Component method
Graphical Method
Aligning vectors head to tail
and then drawing the
resultant from the tail
of the first to the
head of the last.
Graphical Vector Addition A + B
Step 1 – Draw a start point
Step 2 – Decide on a scale
Step 3 – Draw Vector A to scale
Step 4 – Vector B’s tail begin at Vector
A’s head. Draw Vector B to scale.
Step 5 – Draw a line connecting the
initial start point to the head of B.
This is the resultant.
NON COLLINEAR VECTORS
When two (2) vectors are
PERPENDICULAR to each
other, you must use the
PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
Let’s Practice
A man travels 120 FINIS
km east then 160 km the hypotenuse is
H
north. Calculate his called the RESULTANT
resultant 160 km, N
displacement. VERTICAL
COMPONENT
c 2 = a2 + b2 → c = a2 + b2
c = resultant = (120) + (160)
2 2 S
T
A
R
T
120 km, E
c = 200 km HORIZONTAL COMPONENT
•WHAT ABOUT DIRECTION?
In the example, DISPLACEMENT is asked
for and since it is a VECTOR quantity,
we need to report its direction.
N
W of N E of N
N of E
N of W
N of E
W E
S of W S of E
NOTE: When drawing a right triangle that
conveys some type of motion, you MUST
W of S E of S
draw your components HEAD TO TAIL.
S
•Directions
• There is a difference between Northwest and West of North
•NEED A VALUE – ANGLE!
Just putting N of E is not good enough (how
far north of east ?).
We need to find a numeric value for the
direction. To find the value of the
angle we use a Trig
function called TANGENT.
200 km
160 km, N
opposite side 160
Tan = = = 1.333
N of E adjacent side 120
120 km, E = Tan −1 (1.333) = 53.1o
So the COMPLETE final answer is : 200 km, 53.1 degrees North of East
COMPONENT
METHOD
Determining the Resultant and Direction of Multiple
Vectors
• 1. Draw the vectors in the Cartesian plane.
• 2. Compute the x and y components of each vector.
Note the sign of each component based on the
location in the Cartesian plane.
• 3. Add all the x-components and y-components.
• 4. Calculate the resultant and direction using the
formula below.
•What are your missing components?
Suppose a person walked 65 m, 25 degrees East of
North. What were his horizontal and vertical
components? The goal: ALWAYS MAKE A RIGHT TRIANGLE!
H.C. = ?
To solve for components, we often use the trig
functions sine and cosine.
V.C = ?
25˚ 65 m adjacent side opposite side
cosine = sine =
hypotenuse hypotenuse
adj = hyp cos opp = hyp sin
adj = V .C. = 65 cos 25 = 58.91m, N
opp = H .C. = 65 sin 25 = 27.47m, E
A bear, searching for food wanders 35 meters east then
20 meters north. Frustrated, he wanders another 12
meters west then 6 meters south. Calculate the bear’s
resultant displacement.
- = 23 m, E
12 m, W
- =
14 m, N
6 m, S
20 m, N
R = 142 + 232 = 26.93m
14
35 m, E R 14 m, N Tan = = .6087
23
= Tan−1 (0.6087) = 31.3
23 m, E
The Final Answer: 26.93 m, 31.3 degrees NORTH of EAST
A boat moves with a velocity of 15 m/s, N in a river
which flows with a velocity of 8.0 m/s, west.
Calculate the boat's resultant velocity with respect
to due north.
Rv = 82 + 152 = 17 m / s
8.0 m/s, W
8
15 m/s, N
Tan = = 0.5333
Rv 15
= Tan −1 (0.5333) = 28.1
The Final Answer : 17 m/s, @ 28.1 degrees West of North
Seatwork no. 1
•Aplane moves with a •Astorm system
velocity of 63.5 m/s moves 5000 km due
at 32 degrees South east, then shifts
of East. Calculate the course at 40 degrees
plane's horizontal North of East for
and vertical velocity 1500 km. Calculate
components. the storm's resultant
displacement.
A plane moves with a velocity of 63.5 m/s at 32
degrees South of East. Calculate the plane's
horizontal and vertical velocity components.
H.C. =?
adjacent side opposite side
cosine = sine =
32˚
V.C. = ?
hypotenuse hypotenuse
63.5 m/s adj = hyp cos opp = hyp sin
adj = H .C. = 63.5 cos 32 = 53.85 m / s, E
opp = V .C. = 63.5 sin 32 = 33.64 m / s, S
A storm system moves 5000 km due east, then
shifts course at 40 degrees North of East for
1500 km. Calculate the storm's resultant
displacement. adjacent side opposite side
cosine = sine =
1500 km hypotenuse hypotenuse
V.C.
adj = hyp cos opp = hyp sin
40
5000 km, E H.C.
adj = H .C. = 1500 cos 40 = 1149.1 km, E
opp = V .C. = 1500 sin 40 = 964.2 km, N
5000 km + 1149.1 km = 6149.1 km R = 6149.12 + 964.2 2 = 6224.2 km
964.2
Tan = = 0.157
6149.1
R
964.2 km = Tan −1 (0.157) = 8.92 o
6149.1 km The Final Answer: 6224.2 km @ 8.92
degrees, North of East
