MKS (SI) Units

M – meter (length)
K – kilogram (mass)
– second (time)

A – ampere (current)
 Unit Conversion

Worth knowing
 Unit Conversion
Suppose you are given a problem where you need to
convert 3 inches into cm.

from - to inches cm

known 1 inch = 2.54 cm

unknown 3 inches = ? cm

3 inches x 2.54 cm = 7.62 cm

1 inch
 Scalars vs. Vectors
A scalar is any physical quantity that can be
described by a single number.
Ø The temperature in the room is 20°C.
Ø Other examples in this course: mass, energy, speed,
time elapsed, coefficient of friction

A vector is a physical quantity has both a

magnitude and a direction.
ØEdmonton is 300 km north of Calgary.
ØOther examples in this course: position, velocity,
acceleration, force, momentum
 Text

Vector notation
• Vectors are written with a little
arrow on top to show that the

quantity has both a size and a
A
direction.
• The length of a vector is called
it’s magnitude.

Application: position vectors

A position vector points from the origin to a given
point. We will see more on this later.
 Vector Addition
Vectors and vector addition is the topic that will be
investigated in the first labatorial.
To find the sum of two vectors:
• Draw the first vector.
• Draw the second vector with the tail starting
where the tip of the first vector ended.
• Draw a final vector from the tail of the first vector
to the tip of the second vector.

B

A
 Vector Addition
We could also have done it the other way
around:

B     

A C = A+B = B+A

 A
B
 Vector Subtraction
Vector subtraction is the same as adding a
negative vector.

Flip the vector that is being subtracted, add as

before.

 
A B
 A Little More About Vectors

Multiply by a positive
scalar: different length
and same direction.

Multiply by a negative
scalar: different length and
opposite direction.
 Unit Vectors
y
!
ay a = axiˆ + ay ĵ
!
a

ax x ! 2 2
a = ax + ay
Let’s do this in one dimension
!
a
−3 0 3 x
iˆ
!
a = −3 iˆ
! 2
a = (−3) = 3
The magnitude is NOT the same thing as the
x-component!
 Adding Vectors using
Components
! ! !
r3 = r1 + r2 ĵ ! !
r3 r2
iˆ !
! r1
r1 = r1xiˆ + r1y ĵ
!
r2 = r2 xiˆ + r2 y ĵ
Finding Components of Vectors
y

A
Ay ĵ q x
Axiˆ

The direction tells us the sign.

 What if we already know the
components?
y

A
Ay ĵ q x
Axiˆ
Be Careful of the‘QUADRANT’;
y
2 1

Ay

Ax x

3 4
Be Careful of the‘QUADRANT’;
y
2 1

Ay

Ax x

3 4
Be Careful of the‘QUADRANT’;
y
2 1

Ax
x
Ay

3 4
Be Careful of the‘QUADRANT’;
y
2 1

Ax
x
Ay

3 4
 The 0 vector
Example:
If a vector is zero, it is more accurate to
say each of its components are zero:

Instead of: