VECTORS

Vector Scalar
Quantity that has magnitude and Quantity that has magnitude but no
direction direction

Example: Example:
Displacement Mass
Force Speed
Momentum Distance
Acceleration Time
Temperature

Addition of Vectors Using the Graphical Method

Vector quantities are normally denoted by a symbol with an arrow on top. A

Head The length of the arrow describes the magnitude of the

vector, and the arrowhead point toward the direction of
the vector.
Tail
Possible Names:
A= 30 m, 30 degrees
A
A= 30 m, -330 degrees
A= 30 m, 30 degrees northeast
A= 30 m, 60 degrees east of north

2 Ways of adding vectors using graphical representation

1. Parallelogram method- useful if you are adding 2 vectors, known as tail-to-
tail method
Example: Force is a vector quantity that use newton N as the unit. Suppose a
force of F1=10 N is applied horizontally to a block. Also, a second force F2= 5N
 is applied at angle of 30 degrees above the horizontal. Determine the resultant
force that acts on the block.

STEP 1: Choose the scale

For example: 1cm = 1 N
STEP 2: Graph the vectors
STEP 3: MAKE A PARALLEL VECTOR
The parallelogram method requires accurate measurement to arrive at the
correct value of the resultant force.

2. The Polygon Method

- Known as head-to-tail method
- If you want to add more than 2 vectors
Example: Displacement, which is a vector quantity, describes the change in the
body’s position. For example, suppose you walk from your house with the
following displacements, first, you walk 10m to the east, 5m to the north, and
then another 5m to the west. Find your displacement using polygon method.
Try this!
Using the parallelogram and polygon methods, find the resultant of the following
vectors.
1. X = 5m, 20 degrees, and Y=10m, 90 degrees
2. F1 = 12N, -30 degrees, and F2= 20N, -90 degrees
3. V1 = 4 m/s , 0 degrees, V2 = 8m/s, 90 degrees, V3 = 12 m/s, 120 degrees
ADDING VECTORS USING ANALYTICAL METHOD

For example:
1.Finding x- and y-component of a displacement vector with a magnitude of 10m
and direction of 40 degrees with respect to the x-axis.
Dx= dcosθ Dy=dsinθ

= 10cos40degrees =10sin40degrees
= 7.66m =6.43
2. Find the magnitude and direction if x- component is 5.0m and y-component is 8.0m

d=√𝑑𝑥 2 +𝑑𝑦 2 𝜃 = tan−1 𝑑𝑦/𝑑𝑥

=√5.0𝑚 2 + 8.0𝑚 2 𝜃 = tan−1 8.0𝑚/5.0𝑚

= 9.43 m 𝜽 = 𝟓𝟖°
If you know the x and y components of the vector, you can find the magnitude
using the Pythagorean theorem.
1. Example: What is the magnitude and direction of a displacement vector if
its component are as follows Ax= 10m, Ay= 5
𝑑 = √10𝑚 2 + 5𝑚 2

= 11.18m
𝜃 = tan−1 5𝑚/10𝑚

=26.57°

2. A vector A has a magnitude of 10.0 m at 30 degrees, Vector B has a

magnitude of 5.0 m, North and Vector C has a magnitude of 12.0 m, 40
degrees east of north. Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant
vector.
magnitude direction x-cos y-sin
10.0 m 30 degrees 8.7 5
5.0 m 90 degrees 0 5
12.0 m 50 degrees 7.7 9.2
Rx= 16.4 Ry=19.2

Magnitude and Direction

𝑑 = √16.4𝑚 2 + 19.2𝑚 2

= 25.3 m

𝜃 = tan−1 19.2𝑚/16.4𝑚
= 49.5°

Try this using Analytical Method!

1. X = 5m, 20 degrees, and Y=10m, 90 degrees
2.F1 = 12N, -30 degrees, and F2= 20N, -90 degrees
3.V1 = 4 m/s , 0 degrees, V2 = 8m/s, 90 degrees, V3 = 12 m/s, 120 degrees
Answer Key.
1.
magnitude direction x-cos y-sin
5m 20 degrees 4.7 1.7
10 m 90 degrees 0 12
Rx= 4.7 Ry=11.7

𝑑 = √4.74𝑚 2 + 11.7𝑚 2

= 12.62m

𝜃 = tan−1 11.7𝑚/4.7𝑚

= 68.13°
2.
magnitude direction x-cos y-sin
12 N -30 degrees 10.39 -6
20 N -90 degrees 0 -20
Rx= 10.39 Ry=-26
𝑑 = √10.39𝑚 2 + 26𝑚 2

= 28 N
𝜃 = tan−1 −26𝑚/10.39𝑚

= -68.21° , ACTUAL ANGLE 291.79° FROM X-AXIS

3.
magnitude direction x-cos y-sin
4m/s 0 degrees 4 0
8m/s 90 degrees 0 8
12m/s 120 degrees -6 10.39
Rx=-2 Ry=18.39
𝑑 = √2𝑚 2 + 18.39𝑚 2

= 18.5 m/s
𝜃 = tan−1 18.39/−2
= -83.70, ACTUAL ANGLE 96.21 DEGREES FROM X-AXIS