Supplementary Activity 1

Vector Analysis

A physical quantity is a quantity in physics that can be measured, thus a physical property that
can be quantified. Examples of physical quantities are mass, amount of substance, length, time, temperature,
electric current, light intensity, force, velocity, density, and many others. Physical quantities can be specified by
how it is measured or how it is calculated. There two categories of physical quantity, the scalar quantity and
vector quantity.

Discussion

Scalar Quantity

Scalar quantities are a quantity that only has magnitude. The magnitude of the quantity
refers to the numerical value or size. They do not have a direction of action. Scalars are described by
real numbers that are usually but not necessarily positive. The work done on a particle by a force, for
example, is a negative number when the particle moves in a direction opposite to that in which the
force acts, such as when the frictional force slows down a moving body. Scalars can be manipulated
by the ordinary laws of algebra.

Example: Distance, mass, speed, time, work, and temperature

Vector Quantity

Vector quantities on the other hand, are a physical quantity that has magnitude and
direction. In mathematics, physical quantities are represented by mathematical objects called vectors.
And these vectors can be added, subtracted and multiply to other vector or multiply to a scalar
quantity but we cannot divide vectors. Since division by vector is not defined. Vector quantity are
always denoted by an arrow above its quantity.

Example: Displacement, velocity, force, acceleration and weight.

Adding Vectors in 1D space

Since our vectors' directions are either constant or antiparallel to one another, adding
vectors in a one-dimensional space is rather simple. We can therefore determine the magnitude of
the two vectors immediately if they are parallel and pointing in the same direction. However, if the
vectors are antiparallel, we must take their magnitudes apart.

Example:

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 Suppose Al-Shi walks from point A to B (See the figure below). Then walks back from
point B to A. The displacement vector from point A to B is ⃗
D AB and the displacement vector from B to
A is⃗
DBA .

Base on the figure, we can state that the magnitude of ⃗

D AB and ⃗
DBA is the same. But as
vector quantity, ⃗
D AB ≠ ⃗
D BA . If we analyze the figure the direction of the two displacement vectors is
totally opposite. This would make that the two vectors are antiparallel. We can rewrite our equation
as, ⃗
D AB=− ⃗
DBA , where the negative sign indicates the direction of the vector.

Adding Vectors in 2D space

When vectors is in plane, they are also in a 2D. Adding vectors in a plane is a bit of
complicated than in 1D. Since we will mostly use geometry and trigonometry to add vectors. There
are two ways in adding vectors in 2D, the head-to-tail method and the component method.
Head-to-tail Method

The head-to-tail method is a graphical way to add vectors. The tail of the vector is the
starting point of the vector, and the head (or tip) of a vector is the final, pointed end of the arrow.

Example: The head-to-tail method of graphically adding vectors is illustrated for the two
displacements of the person walking in a city. a) Draw a vector representing the displacement to the
east. (b) Draw a vector representing the displacement to the north. The tail of this vector should
originate from the head of the first, east-pointing vector. (c) Draw a line from the tail of the east-
pointing vector to the head of the north-pointing vector to form the sum or resultant vector D. Use a
ruler to determine the length of the resultant vector. And use a protractor to determine its direction,
with respect to the east (or horizontal axis) θ is measured with a protractor to be 29.10.

Component Method
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 • This method uses the components of the vectors to find the resultant vector. In xy
coordinate system, a point in plane can be describe by its x and y components. Similarly in vectors, a
vector A in plane can also be distinguish by its component. The component of vector A is denoted by Ax
for x-component and Ay for y-component. So, in the cartesian plane the components of vector A is its
orthogonal projection. So using the parallelogram rule, a vector in a cartesian plane can be expressed as:
⃗
A=⃗
A x+⃗
Ay

The deal with component method we will often use trigonometric function. See the function below.
Opposite
sin θ=
Hypotenuse
Adjacent
cos θ=
Hypotenuse
Opposite
tanθ=
Adjacent
2 2 2
c =a + b
Example. Find the sum of the vectors given below.

1. Find the x-component and y-component for each vector using trigonometry. To correctly interpret the
sign, (+ or -), for each component, use a diagram of the vector.

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 For x- component of d1 we have,
d1 x
cos θ=
d1
d1x
cos ( 34 )=
36 m
cos ( 34 ) x 36 m=d 1 x
d 1 x =29.8 m
For y-component d1 we have,
d1 y
sin θ=
d1
d1 y
sin ( 34 )=
36 m
sin ( 34 ) x 36 m=d 1 y
d 1 y =20.1 m
For x- component of d2 we have,
d2 x
sin θ=
d2
d2x
sin ( 64 )=
23 m
sin ( 64 ) x 23 m=d 2 x
d 2 x =−20.6 m

For y- component of d2 we have,

d2 y
cos θ=
d2
d2 y
cos ( 64 )=
23 m
cos ( 64 ) x 23 m=d 2 y
d 2 y =10 m

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 2. Add up both x-components, (one from each vector), to get the x-component of the total. Then add
up also the y-components, to y-component total
For dTx we will have,
d Tx=d 1 x + d 2 x
d Tx=29.8 m+ ( − 20.6 m )
d Tx=9.2 m
For dTy we will have,

d Ty =d 1 y +d 2 y
d Ty =20.1 m+10 m
d y =30.1m
3. Lastly, plot the total x-component and y-component in a cartesian plane. Then find the magnitude
of the resultant vector using Pythagorean theorem. Use the tangent function for the direction.
2 2 2
d T =d x +d y
d T 2=( 9.2 m )2+ ( 30.1 m )2
2 2 2
d T =84.6 m + 906 m
d T 2=990.6 m2
d T =√ 990.6 m
2

d T =31.5 m
Opposite
tanθ=
Adjacent
dy
tanθ=
dx
30.1m
tanθ=
9.2 m
θ=Ta n− 1 ( 3.3 )
o
θ=73.1
Therefore, the resultant vector is equal to,

d T =31.5 m, 73. 1o North of East

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Course and Section:

Faculty In-charge:

Supplementary Activity 1

Part I. Problem solving. Show your Solution.

1. Find the displacement from point A to C, if point A to B is 6 km, NE. Clue: Point A to C is just 3 quarters of
the whole journey.

2. Using head-to-tail method, find the resultant vector of the given vectors below. Take a picture of your
answer then post it here.

A = 3 in 45o above x axis

B = 2.7 in 45o above –x axis

3. Using component method, find the resultant displacement. Show your solution.

A = 5 km NE
B = 7 km 63o N of E

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