IGCSE Vector Notes

VECTORS AND SCALA
quantities called vectors which have both size or

magnitude and also direction.
Quantities which only have magnitude are called scalars.
Quantities which have both magnitude and direction are
called vectors.
For example, velocity is a vector since it deals with speed
(a scalar) in a particular direction.
Other examples of vector quantities are acceleration, force,
displacement, and momentum.
Consider a bus which is travelling at 100 km/h in a south east direction.
A good way of representing this situation is to use an arrow on a scale diagram.
The length of the arrow represents the size or magnitude of the velocity and the
arrowhead N
shows the direction of travel.
Scale: 1 cm represents 50 km/h
W 45° E
S SE
Scale: 1 cm represents 50 km/h
Consider the vector represented by the line segment from O to A.

² This vector could be represented by OA or a bold used in text books or a . used
by students
² The magnitude or length could be represented by OA or OA or aor a .
AB is the vector which start from A and terminates at B and that AB is the
position vector of B relative to A B
A
On a scale diagram, sketch the vector which represents a velocity of:
a 15 m/s in a westerly direction b 40 m/s on a bearing 075o.
a Scale: 1 cm ´ 10 m/s b Scale: 1 cm ´ 10 m/s
EXERCISE 24A
1 Using a scale of 1 cm represents 10 units, sketch a vector to represent:
a 40 km/h in a SW direction
b 35 m/s in a northerly direction
c a displacement of 25 m in a direction 120o
d an aeroplane taking off at an angle of 12o to the runway with a speed of 60
m/s.
1. On a scale diagram, sketch the vector which represents a velocity of:
a 15 m/s in a westerly direction b 40 m/s on a bearing 075o.
a Scale: 1 cm ´ 10 m/s b Scale: 1 cm ´ 10 m/s
EXERCISE 24A
1. Using a scale of 1 cm represents 10 units, sketch a vector to
represent:
a. 40 km/h in a SW direction
b. 35 m/s in a northerly direction
c. a displacement of 25 m in a direction 120o
d. an aeroplane taking off at an angle of 12o to the runway with a
speed of 60 m/s.
2. If represents a force of 45 Newtons due east, draw a
directed line segment representing a force of:
a . 75 N due west b. 60 N south west.
3. Draw a scaled arrow diagram representing the following vectors:
a. a velocity of 60 km/h in a NE direction
b. a momentum of 45 kg m/s in the direction 250o
c . a displacement of 25 km in the direction 055o
d. an aeroplane taking off at an angle of 10o to the runway at a speed
of 90 km
VECTOR EQUALITY
Two vectors are equal if they have the same magnitude and
direction.
If arrows are used to represent vectors, then equal vectors are
parallel and equal in length.( equal vector arrows are translations
of one another.) a a a
THE ZERO VECTOR

It is the only vector with no direction.
NEGATIVE VECTORS
Notice that AB and BA have the same length but opposite directions.
We say that BA is the negative of AB and write BA = -AB:
Given the vector a shown, we can draw the vector -a. a

-a
a and -a are parallel, equal in length , opposite in direction.
VECTOR ADDITION
2
The vectors in this case are displacements.
EX:“A girl runs from A in a northerly direction for 3 km and then 3
in a westerly direction for 2 km to B. How far is she from her X
starting point and in what direction?”
Ѳ
DISPLACEMENT VECTORS
three towns A, B and C. A trip from A to B followed by a trip from B to C
is equivalent to a trip from A to C. B
This can be expressed in a vector form as the sum
AB + BC = AC where the + sign could mean ‘followed by’. A C
To add a and b : a
Step 1: Draw a.
Step 2: At the arrowhead end of a, draw b.
Step 3: Join the beginning of a to the a
b
arrowhead end of b. This is vector a + b
a+b b
Example 4
Sonya can swim at 3 km/h in calm water. She swims in a river where the current is 1 km/h
in an easterly direction. Find Sonya’s resultant velocity if she swims:
a . with the current b. against the current c. northwards, across the river.
EXERCISE 24C
1. Copy the given vectors p and q and hence show how to find p + q:
a. b. p c. p d.p
p
q q
q q
2. Find a single vector which is equal to:
a. QR +RS b. PQ + QR c. PS + SR + RQ d. PR + RQ + QS
3. Paolo rides for 20 km in the direction 310o and then for 15 km in the
direction 040o. Find Paolo’s displacement from his starting point.
4. Consider an aeroplane trying to fly at 500 km/h due north. Find the actual
speed and direction of the aeroplane if a gale of 100 km/h is blowing:
a. from the south
b. from the north c from the west.
5. A ship travelling at 23 knots on a course 124o encounters a current of 4 knots
in the direction 214o. Find the actual speed and direction of the ship.
Q R
P
2. S
VECTOR SUBTRACTION
To subtract one vector from another, simply add its negative. a - b = a + (-b)
a
-b
b
a a-b
For points P, Q, R and S, simplify the following vector expressions:

a QR -SR b QR -SR - PS
EX:
Xiang Zhu is about to fire an arrow at a target. In still conditions, the arrow would travel a
t 18 m/s. Today, however, there is a wind of 6 m/s blowing from the left directly across the
arrow’s path.
a In what direction should Zhu fire the arrow?
b What will be its actual speed?
Suppose Zhu is at Z and the target is at T. Let a be the arrow’s velocity in still
conditions, w be the velocity of the wind, and x be the vector ZT.
EXERCISE 24D
1 For the following vectors p and q, show how to construct p - q
p p
q
p q p q
q
p
p q q
2 For points P, Q, R and S, simplify the following vector expressions:

a. QR +RS b. PS - RS c. RS + SR d. RS + SP + PQ
e. QP - RP + RS f. RS - PS - QP
3 An aeroplane needs to fly due north at a speed of 500 km/h. However, it is affected by a 40
km/h wind blowing constantly from the west.
What direction must it head towards and at what speed?
4 A motorboat wishes to travel NW towards a safe haven before an electrical storm arrives.
In still water the boat can travel at 30 km/h. However, a strong current is flowing at 10 km/h
from the north east.
a In what direction must the boat head?
b At what speed will the boat be travelling?
VECTORS IN COMPONENT FORM
When vectors are drawn on a coordinate grid, we can describe
them
in terms of their components in the x and y directions.
is a column vector and is the vector in component form.
example, given
y
Draw where -1 is the x-component or x-step
and 2 is the y-component or y-step. y
x
2
x
-1
Example 8
L(-2, 3) and M(4, 1) are two points. Find a. LM b. ML
If A is (a1, a2) and B is (b1, b2) then
Example 9
If A is at (2, -3) and B at (4, 2) find: a. AB b . BA
VECTOR EQUALITY
Vectors are equal if and only if their x-components are
equal and their y-components are equal.
if and only if p = r and q = s.
Write the illustrated vectors in component form
1. 2. 3.
2. Draw vector diagrams
1. 2.
4 If A is at (3, 4), B is at (-1, 2), and C is at (2, -1), find:

a OA b. AB c . CO d. BC e . CA
VECTOR ADDITION
Consider adding vectors a = b=
.
The horizontal step for a + b is a1 + b1.
The vertical step for a + b is a2 + b2:
a+ b=
.
Negative vectors

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VECTORS AND SCALA

quantities called vectors which have both size or

Consider the vector represented by the line segment from O to A.

THE ZERO VECTOR

Given the vector a shown, we can draw the vector -a. a

For points P, Q, R and S, simplify the following vector expressions:

2 For points P, Q, R and S, simplify the following vector expressions:

If A is (a1, a2) and B is (b1, b2) then

Write the illustrated vectors in component form

2. Draw vector diagrams

4 If A is at (3, 4), B is at (-1, 2), and C is at (2, -1), find:

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