Lecture 1 Vectors

Physics For Engineers: Vectors
Andhee M. Jacobe
January 2018
Scalars and Vectors
Scalars and Vectors

Definition (Vectors and Scalars)
• A vector is an entity which involves two components - the magnitude and
the direction.
• A scalar on the other hand is an entity which only involves magnitude.
============================================
Examples of Scalars:
• Speed
• Distance
• Work
• Energy
============================================
Examples of Vectors:
• Position
• Displacement
• Velocity
• Acceleration
Andhee M. Jacobe Physics For Engineers: Vectors January 2018 2 / 11
Scalars and Vectors
Vectors and Its Components

We have stated that a vector has two parts - the magnitude and the direction.
Aside from these two major parts of a vector, a vector can also be decomposed
into several components, each of them are vectors in their own right.
Definition (General Form of a Vector)
~ be an n-dimensional vector. Denote its magnitude as |V
Let V ~ | = V . Further,
denote its directions with respect to the n dimensions be θi with i = 1, 2, ..., n.
Then the n components of V ~ are given as:
Vxi = V cos θi (1)
~ , the magnitude can be derived by :

Conversely, given the components Vxi of V
q
V = Vx21 + Vx22 + ... + Vx2n (2)
and the directions are given as:

Vxi
θi = arccos (3)
V
Scalars and Vectors

For the usual 2-dimensional case, we simply set x1 = x and x2 = y . Thus we have
the following results:
Definition (Two-Dimensional Vectors)

Let V~ be two-dimensional, for simplicity, Cartesian in nature. Let θx , θy be the
directions with respect to the positive x and y axes respectively. Then, the
components are given by:
Vx = V cos θx = V sin θy (4)
Vy = V cos θy = V sin θx (5)

Conversely: q
V = Vx2 + Vy2 (6)
and
Vi
θi = arccos , i = x, y (7)
V

Scalars and Vectors
For extension for space problems (three-dimensional):
Definition (Three-Dimensional Vectors)

~ be three-dimensional. Let θx , θy , θz be the directions with respect to the
Let V
positive x, y and z axes respectively. Then, the components are given by:
Vi = V cos θi , i = x, y , z (8)
Conversely: q
V = Vx2 + Vy2 + Vz2 (9)
and
Vi
θi = arccos , i = x, y , z (10)
V

Scalars and Vectors

A vector can also be denoted using its components:
Definition (Component Notation)

~ with components Vx , Vx , ..., Vx in component form is:
A vector V 1 2 n
 
Vx1
Vx2 
Vx1 i1 + Vx2 i2 + ... + Vxn in = (Vx1 , Vx2 , ..., Vxn ) =  .  (11)
 
 .. 
Vxn
Sample Problems:
1 A vector on a Cartesian plane starts from the origin and terminates at point
(5,10). Determine the magnitude of the vector and its direction.
2 A car travels at a speed of 60 mph at 60◦ to the North. Determine the x and
y components of the vector.
3 A vector is given as (3, 5, 6, 2) in component form. What is the magnitude of
the vector and its directions with respect to its axes?
Scalars and Vectors
Vector Operations
Definition (Vector Addition)

~ and W
Also known as the resultant, the sum of two vectors V ~ is the vector
whose components are the sums of the corresponding components of V~ and W ~.
~ +W
V ~ = (Vx + Wx , Vx + Wx , ..., Vx + Wx ) (12)
1 1 2 2 n n
Definition (Negative of a Vector)

~ , denoted as −V
The negative of vector V ~ , is the vector with same magnitude as
~ but going towards the opposite direction.
V
Definition (Vector Subtraction)

The difference of W ~ from V
~ , denoted as V
~ −W
~ , is defined as the sum of V and
the negative of W .

Scalars and Vectors
Vector Operations
Definition (Scalar Multiplication)

~ and a scalar k, the scalar multiple k V
Given a vector V ~ is defined as the vector
whose magnitude is |k| times the magnitude of V ~ . If k is positive, then k V
~ has
~ ~
the same direction as V . If k is negative, then k V has the direction opposite to
~.
that of V
There are two types of vector products - the dot product and the cross
product. The former yields a scalar while the latter produces a vector
Definition (Dot Product)

The Dot Product, also referred to as inner or scalar product, is given as:
~ ·W
V ~ = Vx Wx + Vx Wx + ... + Vx Wx = |V
~ ||W
~ | cos θ (13)
1 1 2 2 n n
where θ is the angle between the two vectors.

Scalars and Vectors
Vector Operations
Definition (Cross Product)
~ ×W
The Cross Product is given as: V ~ with
~ ×W
|V ~ | = |V
~ ||W
~ | sin θ (14)
again θ is the angle between the two vectors. The direction of V ~ ×W ~ , φ, is

perpendicular to both V ~ and W ~.
~ = (x1 , y1 , z1 ), W
In three-dimensional cases, if V ~ = (x2 , y2 , z2 ), then
~ ×W
V ~ = (y1 z2 − z1 y2 , z1 x2 − x1 z2 , x1 y2 − y1 x2 ) (15)
Remarks:
• Vector addition is commutative and associative.
• Vector subtraction is neither commutative nor associative.
• Scalar multiplication is commutative, associative, and distributive over vector
addition and scalar addition.
• Dot products are associative and commutative.
• Cross products are not commutative but are associative.
Scalars and Vectors
Vector Operations
Sample Problems:
4 Find the resultant of the three vectors: (1, 0, −1), (2, 4, 3), (1, 1, −1).
5 An object moved 5 meters at 40◦ North of East, 6 meters at 30◦ North of
West, then went 7 meters Southwards. Determine the resultant of the
vectors involved.
6 The components of the resultant of vectors U = (1, 3, 5), V = (2, 4, 6) and
W is twice as the components of W + U. Determine the magnitude of W
and the angle between U and the resultant.
7 Determine (2, 3, 4) · (5, 6, 7).
8 Determine (2, 3, 4) × (5, 6, 7).

Scalars and Vectors
Answers to Sample Problems
Sample Problems:
√
1 5 5 units at 63.43◦ North of East.
√
2 30 mph East and 30 3 mph North.
√
3 V = 74 units. θ~ = (69.59◦ , 54.46◦ , 45.77◦ , 76.56◦ ).
4 (4, 2, 2).
5 6.97 meters at 11.66◦ North of East.
√
6 W = 3 units and θR,U = 6.35◦ .
7 56.
8 (−3, 6, −3).

Lecture 1 Vectors

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Physics For Engineers: Vectors

Scalars and Vectors

Vectors and Its Components

Vxi = V cos θi (1)

~ , the magnitude can be derived by :

and the directions are given as:

Vectors and Its Components

Definition (Two-Dimensional Vectors)

Vx = V cos θx = V sin θy (4)

Vy = V cos θy = V sin θx (5)

Andhee M. Jacobe Physics For Engineers: Vectors January 2018 4 / 11

Vectors and Its Components

For extension for space problems (three-dimensional):

Definition (Three-Dimensional Vectors)

Andhee M. Jacobe Physics For Engineers: Vectors January 2018 5 / 11

Vectors and Its Components

Definition (Component Notation)

Definition (Vector Addition)

Definition (Negative of a Vector)

Definition (Vector Subtraction)

Andhee M. Jacobe Physics For Engineers: Vectors January 2018 7 / 11

Definition (Scalar Multiplication)

Definition (Dot Product)

where θ is the angle between the two vectors.

Andhee M. Jacobe Physics For Engineers: Vectors January 2018 8 / 11

again θ is the angle between the two vectors. The direction of V ~ ×W ~ , φ, is

Andhee M. Jacobe Physics For Engineers: Vectors January 2018 10 / 11

Answers to Sample Problems

Andhee M. Jacobe Physics For Engineers: Vectors January 2018 11 / 11

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