General Physics 1

VECTOR AND SCALAR QUANTITIES

Vector Quantity
- Is a physical quantity that has both magnitude and direction.
Examples:
 Displacement of 20m (North)
 Velocity of 60 km/h (East)
 Force of 40 Newton (West)

Scalar Quantity
- Is a physical quantity that has only
magnitude.
Examples:
 Speed of 60 km/h
 Time of 3 hours
 Temperature of 28 °C

Vectors
- We always draw a vector as a line with an
arrowhead at its tip.
- The length of the line shows the vector’s
magnitude, and the direction of the line shows
the vector’s direction.

Displacement
- Displacement represent a vector quantity such as displacement by a single letter, ⃗A
- This symbol is in boldface italic type with an arrow above them, to represent that it
have different properties from scalar quantities; the arrow is a reminder that vectors
have direction.
- Displacement is always a straight-line
segment directed from the starting point to
the ending point, even though the object’s
actual path may be curved.
- If two vectors have the same direction, they
are parallel.
- If they have the same magnitude and the
same direction, they are equal, no matter
where they are located in space.
 - The vector ⃗ A from point P3 to point P4 has the same
length and direction as the vector ⃗ A from point P1 to
P2 .
- These two displacements are equal, even though
they start at different points.
- We write this as ⃗ A=⃗ A the boldface equal sign
emphasizes that equality of two vector quantities is
not the same relationship as equality of two scalar
quantities.
- Two vector quantities are equal only when they have
the same magnitude and same direction.
- The vector ⃗ B, however, is not equal to ⃗A because its
direction is opposite to that of ⃗A.
- We define the negative of a vector as a vector having
the same magnitude as the original vector but the
opposite direction.
- The negative of vector quantity ⃗ A is denoted as − ⃗A
, and we use a boldface minus sign to emphasize the
vector nature of the quantities.
- If ⃗
A is 87 m north, then −⃗ A is 87 m south. Thus, we
can write the relationship between ⃗ A and B as
⃗ ⃗ ⃗
A=−B ∨ B=− A ⃗
- When two vectors ⃗ A and B have opposite directions,
whether their magnitudes are the same or not, we
say that they are antiparallel.

Vector Addition
- Suppose a particle undergoes a displacement ⃗ A
followed by a second displacement ⃗ B.
- The final result is the same as if the particle had started
at the same initial point and undergone a single
displacement ⃗ C.
- We call displacement ⃗ C the vector sum, or resultant,
⃗
of displacements A and ⃗ B. We express this relationship
symbolically as:
⃗
C =⃗A+ ⃗
B
⃗
- If we make the displacement A and ⃗ B in reverse order,
⃗ ⃗
with B first and A second, the results is the same
⃗
C =⃗A+ ⃗B∧ ⃗
A +⃗ B =⃗B +⃗A
- This shows that the order of terms in a vector sum doesn’t
matter. In other words, vector addition obeys the
commutative law.

Vector Addition: Head-to-Tail-Method

- A person walks 9 blocks east and 5 blocks north. The displacement is 10.3 blocks at
an angle 29.1° north of east.
- Draw an arrow to represent the total displacement vector
D.
- Using protractor, draw a line at an angle θ relative to the
east-west axis.
- The length D of the arrow is proportional to the vector’s
magnitude and is measured along the line with a ruler.
- In this example, the magnitude D of the vector is 10.3
units, and the direction θ is 29.1° north of east.

Step 1: Draw an arrow to

represent the first vector (9 blocks to the east) using a ruler or
protractor.

Step 2: Now draw an arrow to represent the second vector (5

blocks to the north). Place the tail of the second vector at the
head of the first vector.

Step 3: If there are more than two vectors, continue this

process for each vector to be added.
Note that in our example, we have only two vectors, so we
have finished placing arrows tip to tail.
Step 4: Draw an arrow from the tail of the vector to the head
of the last vector. This is the resultant, or the sum, of the
other vectors.
Step 5: To get the magnitude of
the resultant, measure its length
with a ruler.
(Note that in most calculations, we will use the Pythagorean
theorem to determine this length).
 Step 6: To get the direction of the resultant, measure the angle it makes with the
reference frame using a protractor.

Example 1: Adding Vectors Graphically Using the Head- to-Tail Method: A Woman
Takes a Walk.
Use the graphical technique for adding vectors to find the total displacement of a
person who walks the following three paths (displacement) on a flat field.
First she walks 25.0 m in a direction 49.0 ̊ north of east. Then, she walks 23.0 m
heading 15.0 ̊ north of east. Finally, she turns and walks 32.0 m in a direction 68.0 ̊ south of
east.
Strategy: Represent each displacement vector graphically with an arrow, labeling the first ⃗ A,
the second ⃗ B, and the third ⃗ C , making the lengths proportional to the distance and the
direction as specified relative to an east-west line.
The head-to-tail method will give a way to determine the magnitude and direction of the
resultant displacement, denoted ⃗ R.
Given: (a) 25.0 m, 49.00 north of east
(b) 23.0 m, 15.00 north of east
(c) 32.0 m, 68.00 south of east
Step 1: Draw
the three

displacements vectors.

Step 2: Place the vectors head to tail retaining both their initial magnitude and direction.
Step 3: Draw the resultant vectors ⃗
R

Step 4: Use a ruler to measure the magnitude of ⃗

R , and a protractor to measure the direction
of ⃗
R.

Components of Vectors
Representing a vector ⃗ A in terms of (a) component vectors ⃗ A x and ⃗
A y and (b)
⃗ ⃗
components A x and A y (which in this case are both positive).

- To define what we mean by the components of vector

⃗
A , we begin with a rectangular (Cartesian) coordinate
system of axes.
- We then draw the vector with its tail at 0, the origin of
the coordinate system. We can represent any vector
lying in the xy-plane as the sum of a vector parallel to
the x-axis and a vector parallel to the y-axis.
 - These two vectors are labeled ⃗ A x and ⃗
A y, they are called the component vectors of
vector ⃗ A , and their vector sum is equal to ⃗ A . In symbols,
⃗
A=⃗A x+ ⃗ Ay
- Since each component vector lies along a coordinate-axis direction, we need only a
single number to describe each one.
- When ⃗ A x points in the positive x- direction, we define
the number ⃗ A x to be equal to the magnitude of ⃗ A x.
- ⃗
When A x points in the negative x- direction, we define
the number Ax to be equal to the negative of that
magnitude (the magnitude of a vector quantity is itself
never negative).
- We define the number ⃗ A y in the same way. The two
numbers A x and A y are called the components of ⃗
⃗ ⃗ A.
- If this rotation is from the +x-axis toward the +y-axis,
then θ is positive; if the rotation is from the +x-axis
toward the – y-axis, θ is negative.
- Thus, the +y-axis is at an angle of 90°, the –x-axis at
180°, and the –y-axis at 270° (-90 ̊).
- If θ is measured in this way, then from the definition
of the trigonometric function,
Ax θ∧ Ay
=cos =sin θ
A A
Eq. 6
Ax=A cos θ∧ Ay= A sin θ
(θ measured from the +x-axis, rotating toward the +y-axis)
- In the figure ⃗
A x and ⃗
A y are positive. This is
consistent with the equations; θ is in the first
quadrant (between 0° and 90°), and both the
cosine and sine of an angle in this quadrant are
positive.

The components of a vector may be positive or negative numbers

- In this figure, the component Bx is negative. Again, this agrees with the equations; the
cosine of an angle in the second quadrant is negative. The component By is positive.
Problem 1
(a) What are the x - and y - components of vector D in the figure? The magnitude of the
vector is D=3.00 m, and the angle a = 45°.
(b) What are the x - and y - components of vector E in the figure? The magnitude of the
vector is E=4.50 m, and the angle β = 37.0.

Solution:
We can use the equations (6) to find the components of these vectors, but we have to be
careful: Neither of the angles a or β in the figure is measured from the +x-axis toward the
+y-axis.
We estimate from the figure that the lengths of the components in part (a) are both
roughly 2 m, and those in part (b) are 3 m and 4 m. We’ve indicated the signs of the
components in the figure.

(a) The angle a between the positive x -axis and ⃗ D is

measured towards the negative y -axis. The angle we
must use in Eqs. 6 is θ = − a = −45°.
We then find
Dx = D cos θ = (3.00 m) (cos (−45°)) = +2.1 m
Dy = D sin θ = (3.00 m) (sin (−45°)) = −2.1 m

(b) The x - and y -axes are at the right angles, so it

doesn’t matter that they aren’t horizontal and
vertical, respectively.
But to use Eqs. (6), we must use the angle θ = 90.0°
− β = 90.0° − 37.0° = 53.0°.
We then find
Ex = E cos 53.0° = (4.50 m) (cos (53.0°)) = +2. 71m
Ey = E sin 53.0° = (4.50 m) (sin (53.0°)) = +3.59 m

Vector Components
A person walks 9 blocks east and 5 blocks north. The displacement is 10.3 blocks at
an angle 29.1° north of east.

Given: A = 10.3 blocks

 θ = 29.1°
Solution:
Ax = A cos θ = (10.3 blocks)(cos 29.1°) = 9 blocks
Ay = A sin θ = (10.3 blocks)(sin 29.1°) = 5.1 blocks

Calculating a Resultant Vector

If the perpendicular components Ax and Ay of a vector ⃗
A are known, then ⃗
A can also be found
analytically.
To find the magnitude ⃗ A and direction θ of a vector from its perpendicular components Ax
and Ay, we use the following relationships:

The equation A=√ A x 2 + A y 2 is just the Pythagorean theorem relating the legs of the right
triangle to the length of the hypothenuse.
For example, if Ax and Ay are 9 and 5 blocks, respectively, then A=√ 92+ 52 blocks, again
consistent with the example of the person walking in the city. Finally, the direction is
−1 5
θ=tan ( ¿ )=29.1 °¿
9

Practice

Problem 1.
A car moved 12.5 km, 35° south of west. Illustrate this displacement.

Problem 2.
What are the component vectors in the figure given that the car
has a displacement of 750m, 45° north of west?
Solution: ¿ 750 mcos 135 °=−530.33 m
⃗A y=750 msin 135 °=530.33 m
The x-component of the vector is -530.33 m while y-component is
530.33 m
Problem 3.
A car initially traveled 35 km due south and the traveled
65 km to the west. Solve what is the car’s resultant displacement
using graphical method.
Solution: Make the original of the Cartesian coordinated as the
starting point.
Using a ruler, draw a 35 km line going south having a scale of
1cm = 10km.
Next, connect another 65 km arrow going to the west using the
same scale, 1cm=10 km. Connect a line from the starting point to
the head of the last arrow Measure the resultant vector using a
ruler and measure its angle using a protractor.
Thus, the resultant vector or resultant displacement is ⃗
R = 75 km, 29° south of West.

Problem 4.
A car covered 25 km, 60° north of east on its initial route. Afterwards, it covered 50
km in the direction 30° north of west. Using the analytical method, what is its resultant
displacement?
Given: ⃗A=25 km, 60 ° north of east
⃗
A=50 km, 3 0 ° north of east
Solution:

Calculating the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector using the Pythagorean
Theorem:

Determining the direction,

Since this angle is negative, this means that it is measured in a clockwise from the west
direction.
MOTION IN TWO DIMENSION

Horizontal Dimension
 Is the movement of a projectile across a horizontal plane base on the force acting on
it.

Vertical Dimension
 Is referred as the movement of the object against the gravitational pull.

Projectile Motion
 Refers to the motion of an object that is being thrown or projected into the air at an
angle.
Projectile
 is an object thrown with an initial horizontal velocity and acted upon by the earth’s
pulls of gravity in a curved path.

Trajectory
 Is the curved path travelled by the projectile.

Parabola
 Is the trajectory of a projectile in free fall.

Range
 The TOTAL distance traveled by the projectile.

Projectile that is Projected Horizontally

 The object moves at a constant velocity in the horizontal direction
Horizontal Projectile
 Noticed that the horizontal motion of the projectile
does not change throughout its trajectory as the
distance in every position is the same.
 Thus, the projectile is moving uniformly in the
horizontal direction of has zero horizontal acceleration.
 However, the distance covered by the projectile
moving downward increases as it travels, which means
that the projectile is accelerating vertically.
 The acceleration in the vertical direction is due to the pull of gravity, which has a
constant speed of 9.8 meters per second squared (m/s2).

Vertical Distance or Height

 There are several quantities that describe a projectile motion, including its horizontal
and vertical components.
 The vertical distance or height of the projectile is determined by the equation
1 2
dy =viy ty+ > y
2
where: dy = vertical distance
viy= initial vertical velocity
ty = time consumed in moving downward
g = acceleration due to gravity
However, because the initial vertical velocity (viy) is equal to zero (the projectile falls
freely), the equation for the height is

Horizontal Distance or Range

 The horizontal distance or range of the projectile is
d x=vi x t x
Where: dx = horizontal distance
vix= initial horizontal velocity
tx = time
Noticed that the equation used is the same as that for a uniformly moving object. This
is because the acceleration of the horizontal motion of a projectile is uniform.

Vertical Speed
 The vertical speed of the projectile can be determined using different equations. For
instance, given the time of fall, you use the equation

Where: vy = vertical velocity

 viy= initial vertical velocity, acceleration due to gravity
ty = time of fall
The second equation is used because the initial vertical velocity is zero.
Vertical Velocity
 The vertical velocity can also be computed using the vertical distance covered:

Time of Fall
 The time of fall depends on the vertical distance covered. The equation can be derived
from the vertical distance equation. When the distance equation is manipulated to get
the equation for time, it will result in

Final Velocity
 The final velocity (vf) of the projectile before it touches the ground can be calculated
based on its vertical and horizontal speeds.
 Using the Pythagorean theorem, a rule relating the lengths of the sides of a right
triangle, the equation for final speed can be formulated as

Sample Problem 1.
A billiard ball leaves a 0.50 m high table with an initial horizontal velocity of 2.5 m/s.
a. How long will take the billiard ball to fall to the ground?
b. what is the horizontal distance between the edge of the table and the location where
the ball landed?
Given: Find:
dy = 0.50m tx = ?
g = 9.8m/s2 dx = ?
vx = vix = 2.5 m/s
Solution:
a. The problem involves horizontal projectile motion where the object falls to the
ground. Use the equation for time.
 b. The horizontal distance covered can be determined using dx = vix tx. Substitute the
values for vix and tx.

Answer: a. It will take 0.32s for the billiard ball to fall to the ground.
b. The horizontal distance between the edge of the table and the location where the
ball landed is 0.80m.

Sample Problem 2.
A truck has lost its brakes, falls into a 25.0m deep ravine, and lands at a distance of
30.0m from the edge of the ravine. Determine the initial horizontal velocity of the truck.
Given: Find:
dy = 25.0 m vx = vix = ?
dx = 30.0 m
Solution:
dx
To compute for vix, use the equation vix= However, since time t is still unknown,
t
it should be computed first:

Next, substitute dx and t in the equation for vix.

Answer: The initial horizontal velocity of the

truck is 13.3 m/s.

A Projectile that is Projected at an Angle

Initial Velocity (vi)
 When a projectile is fired with an initial velocity vi at an angle θ above the horizontal,
the initial velocity vi can be resolved into its rectangular components. That is,
 Horizontal Motion:
vix = vi cosθ
 Vertical Motion:
viy = vi sinθ

Vertical Distance (dy) and Vertical Velocity (vy)

 Projectile always experience a constant vertical acceleration due to pull of gravity (g=
9.8 m/s2) as they rise and fall. Hence, the vertical distance (d y) and the vertical
velocity (vy) can be solved by using the formula for UAM
That is:

Time (t)
 As the projectile rises, it decreases its velocity and at the peak of the trajectory, it
becomes zero. Thus, the time t for a projectile to rise can be solved by the equation,
That is,

Total Time (t1)

 For a projectile beginning and ending at the same height, the time it takes to rise to its
highest point is equal to the time it takes to fall from the highest point back to the
original point of projection. To find the total time (t′) of flight that a projectile is in the
air, simply double the time it takes a projectile to rise.

That is,

Maximum Height (dy)

 The maximum height (dy) can be calculated by considering the downward motion of a
projectile.
That is,
Range (R)
 The maximum horizontal distance known as the range (R) of the projectile is the
product of the horizontal velocity and the total time of flight.
With that,

Projectile
 An object thrown into the air at 60° angle projection
will have the same range when it is thrown at angle of 30°

 Similarly, an object thrown at an

80°, 70°, 60° and 50° angle will have the same range as when it is thrown at an angle
of 10°, 20°, 30° and 40° , respectively.

 The maximum range obtained is a 45° angle projection. However, in sports in which
the weight of the projectile is significant in comparison to the force of the projection,
the applied force does not produce the same velocity for different projection angles,
thus the maximum range occurs for angles less than 45°
Sample Problem 1.
A soccer ball is kicked at ground level with a speed of 20 m/s at an angle of 45° to the
horizontal. How long does it take for the ball to hit the ground?
Given: Find:
θ = 45° t=?
vi = 20 m/s
Determine the initial components
Sample Problem 2.
A long jumper leaves the ground at an angle of 30° to the horizontal and at a speed of
12 m/s. How far does he jump?
Given: Find:
θ = 30° dx or R
vi = 12 m/s
Solution: