Vectors

Unit 1 – Topic 1 (mechanics)

 Learning Objectives

Specification points:

(4) understand scalar and vector quantities and know examples of each type of quantity and recognize
vector notation
(5) be able to resolve a vector into two components at right angles to each other by drawing and by
calculation
(6) be able to find the resultant of two coplanar vectors at any angle to each other by drawing, and at right
angles to each other by calculation

To be able to:
• State the definitions of the terms ‘scalar’ and ‘vector’

• Resolve vectors into perpendicular components along chosen axes.

• Solving vector problems graphically and algebraically.

 Success criteria

Successfully…….

 B/C – Represent vectors graphically and resolve to find the resultant

vector.

 C/D - Resolve vectors into perpendicular components.

- Calculate the resultant of two co-planar/ perpendicular vectors algebraically.

 D/E – differentiate between a vector and a scalar, and be able to recognize

vector notation.
 Vectors & Scalars

Scalars are quantities that are Vectors are quantities that are fully described by both a
fully described by a magnitude magnitude and a direction.
(or numerical value) alone.
Examples of Vector quantities are:
Examples of scalar quantities
are: • displacement (the distance and direction from where you started to
where you finished)(eg 170m south).
• Mass
• velocity (like speed, but in a certain direction. Velocity =
• Temperature Displacement ÷ Time),

• Distance • acceleration (the change in velocity per second, in a certain

direction)
• Time
• force (to move an object or slow it down, a force must be applied to
• Speed an object in a certain direction)
 Vector Notation

A scalar quantity is often represented by a lower case letter, e.g. speed, v. A vector quantity can also be
represented by a lower case letter, but it is written or printed in one of the following formats to differentiate it
from the scalar equivalent:

The value of a vector can be written

in magnitude and direction form: y
6
e.g. v = (v, θ)

Or as a pair of values called components: a

e.g. a = (8, 6) or

8
8 x
6
 Representing vector quantities

A vector quantity is represented by a line with an arrow.

• The direction the arrow points represents the direction of the vector.
• The length of the line represents the magnitude of the vector to a chosen scale.

When we are dealing with vectors that act in one dimension it is a simple matter to assign one direction as being
positive and the opposite direction as being negative. Which direction is positive and which negative really
doesn’t matter as long as you are consistent.

this vector can represent a force

of 5.0 N in the given direction
5.0 N (using a scale of 1 cm representing
1 N, it will be 5 cm long)
 Combining vectors

In a vector diagram, we use a single vector called resultant vector (or net vector) to represent the
individual vectors combined in terms of magnitude and direction. A resultant vector is indicated by a
double-headed arrow while individual vector is a single-headed arrow.

Note that the following illustration is associated with forces but vector diagram is applicable to all
vector quantities like displacement or velocity and so on.
 Combining vectors
Tip-to-Tail Method

We can add any two vectors, A and B, by placing the tail of B so that it meets the tip of A. The sum, A
+ B, is the vector from the tail of A to the tip of B.

Note that you’ll get the same vector if you place the tip of B against the tail of A. In other words,
A + B and B + A are equivalent.
 Combining vectors
Parallelogram Method

To add A and B using the parallelogram method, place the tail of B so that it meets the tail of A. Take these two
vectors to be the first two adjacent sides of a parallelogram, and draw in the remaining two sides.

The vector sum (Resultant vector), A + B, extends from the tails of A and B across the diagonal to the opposite
corner of the parallelogram.

If the vectors are perpendicular and unequal in magnitude, the parallelogram will be a rectangle. If the vectors are
perpendicular and equal in magnitude, the parallelogram will be a square.
 Combining vectors
Scale drawing (graphical) approach

Adding two vectors V1 and V2 which are not in the same direction can be done by forming a parallelogram to scale.

• Make a rough sketch of how the vectors are going to add together to give you an idea of how large your scale
needs to be in order to fill the space available to you. This is a good idea when you are adding the vectors
mathematically too.

• Having chosen a suitable scale, draw the scaled lines in the direction of V1 and V2 (so that they form two
adjacent sides of the parallelogram).

• Complete the parallelogram by drawing in the remaining two sides.

• The blue diagonal represents the resultant vector in both magnitude and direction.
 Combining vectors
Worked example

Two forces of magnitude 4.0 N and 6.0 N act on a

single point. The forces make an angle of 60° with
each other. Using a scale diagram, determine the
resultant force.

Don’t forget that the vector must have a magnitude and a direction; this
means that the angle is just as important as the size of the force.
 Practice
Draw scale diagrams (1cm = 1N) to work out the Resultant force in each of these cases:

3 4

2
 Adding vectors
Adding Parallel Vectors

If the vectors you want to add are in the same direction, they can be
added using simple arithmetic.

For example, if you get in your car and drive eight miles east, stop for a
break, and then drive six miles east, you will be 8 + 6 = 14 miles east of
your origin. If you drive eight miles east and then six miles west, you
will end up 8 – 6 = 2 miles east of your origin.
 Calculating the resultant vector

If the two vectors are at right angles to each other then the resultant will be the hypotenuse of a right-angled
triangle.
It is often necessary to calculate the exact magnitude and direction of the resultant vector. This requires the
use of Pythagoras’ theorem, and trigonometry.

Suppose vector A has a magnitude of 8, and vector B is perpendicular to A

with a magnitude of 6. What is the magnitude of A + B? Since vectors A and
B are perpendicular, the triangle formed by A, B, and A + B is a right
triangle. We can use the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the magnitude of
A + B, which is
+=
 Calculating the resultant vector

To know the magnitude of the resultant vector depends not only on the magnitude of the two vectors you’re
adding, but also on the angle between the two vectors.

For example, what is the resultant vector of a vertical displacement of 4 km and a horizontal displacement of 3 km?

magnitude direction

tan θ = 4/3
R R =3 +4
2 2 2

4 km θ = tan-1(4/3)
R = √ 32 + 4 2
= 53°
θ
= √ 25
= 5 km
3 km
 Calculating the resultant vector
Worked example

A walker walks 4.0 km due west from his starting point. He then stops before walking 3.0
km due north. At the end of his journey, how far is the walker from his starting point?
 Calculating the resultant vector
Worked example

A student walks due north from point O to P for 3 miles and then walks 4 miles due east from P to Q, find the
total displacement of the student OQ.

As shown in the diagram below, the size of the total displacement is equal to the
length of OQ, which is += 5 miles
The direction of the displacement is measure by the angle . Since tan 4/3,
= 53
 Decomposing a Vector

Vector decomposition is the process of representing a vector as the sum of two

vectors perpendicular to each other, given only its magnitude and its angle from one of the component axes.
This requires the use of trigonometry. These two vectors are called the components.

These two components have the same effect as the single vector to be decomposed.
This process is also called resolving vectors.
 Decomposing a Vector
Worked example

what are the horizontal and vertical components of a vector with a magnitude of 6 ms-1 and a direction
of 60° from the horizontal?

X ( Horizontal component ) Y ( Vertical component )

6 ms -1

y cos60° = x / 6 sin60° = y / 6
x = 6 × cos60 y = 6 × sin60
= 3 ms-1 = 5.2 ms-1
60°

x
 Decomposing a Vector
Worked example

Consider someone walking up the hill in Figure 1.17. They walk 5 km up the slope
but want to know how high they have climbed rather than how far they have
walked. To calculate this they can use trigonometry.

Height = 5 x sin 30°

The height is called the vertical component of the
displacement.
The horizontal displacement can also be calculated.
Horizontal displacement = 5 x cos 30°
 Success criteria

Which grade are you on?

Successfully…….

 B/C – Represent vectors graphically and resolve to find the resultant

vector.

 C/D - Resolve vectors into perpendicular components.

- Calculate the resultant of two co-planar/ perpendicular vectors algebraically.

 D/E – differentiate between a vector and a scalar, and be able to recognize

vector notation.
Past paper
Q&A
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Answer 1
Question 2
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Question 3
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Question 4
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Question 5
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Question 6
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Question 7
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Question 8
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Question 9
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Question 10
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Question 11
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Question 12
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Question 13
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Question 15
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Question 16
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Question 21
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