PHYSICS

Vectors and Scalars

(review materials)

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Learning materials
• Concept of Physics
• Measurement
• Coordinate systems
• Cartesian coordinate plane
• Scalars and Vectors
• Distance and displacement
• Speed and velocity
• The addition of vectors
• The Pythagorean theorem
• Vector components

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Physics
• the branch of science concerned with the nature; properties and relationship of energy
and matter in space.

• it concerns the movements and the forces of an object/s that makes them move like
velocity and acceleration.

• study of physics, includes mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity,
magnetism, and the structure of atoms.

• a quantitative scientific measurements

• involves relatively…. more of Mathematics (related between theory and experiment)

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Measurement
Physical quantities in Physics:
• Scalars
• Vectors
Common Measurement use in Physics
• Distance
• Time
• Mass
• Force

Direction
To describe this quantities, a Coordinate system is used

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Coordinate systems
• is a system which uses one or more numbers, or coordinates, to uniquely determine the position of
the points or other geometric elements on a topological space
• used to translate problems in geometry into problems about numbers and vice versa

• used by mathematicians, physicists, and engineers to translate problems in geometry into problems
about numbers and vice versa

Two coordinate systems :

• Cartesian (also called plane)
• Polar .

Note: It is important to note that laws of physics and physical invariants must be independent of any
arbitrarily chosen coordinate system.

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 The Cartesian coordinate system/plane
In a two-dimensional system:
two perpendicular lines;
horizontal direction is commonly called x-axis
vertical direction is commonly called y-axis.

Scale of the axis

it is the increments of each axis and the lowest and highest value.

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 The Cartesian coordinate system: recall
Steps in Cartesian coordinate system

• begin at the point of interest/reference

• draw vertical line either up or down for y – coordinate or
y - axis
• draw a horizontal line either right or left for
x – coordinate or x - axis
• determine how far up the y-axis and how far along the
x-axis.
• the x and y axes cross at the point (0,0).

to write a Cartesian coordinates :

place it in a parentheses with the x-coordinate first and

then the y-coordinate.

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The Cartesian coordinate system: recall
Example:
how to express the coordinates. The Cartesian coordinates of the
point (100,250)

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Distance equation using Cartesian coordinates
Given endpoints:
two cartesian coordinate:
(x1,y1) and (x2,y2),
To determine the distance between two points, this is given by:

d = √ (x2−x1)2+(y2−y1) 2

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Example: (practice solved)
• Find the distance between the points (-4,1) in cm and (1,-2) in
cm . Round off to at least the nearest hundreth.

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Example: (practice solved)
• Find the distance between the points (-5.5 cm.,1.5 cm) in cm
and (21.3 mm.,-38.41 mm) in cm . Round off to at least the
nearest hundreth.

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Polar coordinate
• is a two-dimensional coordinate
system in which each point on a plane
is determined by a distance from a
reference point and an angle is taken
from a reference direction.

Pole = The reference point

Polar axis = the line segment ray from

the pole in the reference direction

Designation: (r, θ)
r = resultant of x and y
θ = angle from a reference direction.

Recall: the trigonometric functions

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Example: (practice solved)
• Find the polar coordinates of the given points
A) (-4,1) in m B) (1,-2) in inch

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Example: (practice solved)
• Find the cartesian coordinates of the given polar coordinates
A) (33.45 cm., 129.65 0) B) (-21.75 m., 65.920).

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Scalars and Vectors
• Scalars and Vectors are both measurements and contains magnitude
and units.

• Units depends on what kind of measurement is required

• Their differences: Scalars contains units of measurement only

Vectors contains units of measurement with
specific direction

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Scalars
• quantities that are fully described by a magnitude with unit (or numerical
value) alone and has no direction in space.
Examples:
• Length
• Area
• Volume
• Time
• Mass
• Distance
• Speed

Mathematical operation of scalars is quite easy since it is only a

magnitude no direction and using the normal rules in arithmetic but
units must be consistent. 16
Vectors
• are quantities that are fully described by both a magnitude with
unit and a direction in space.

Examples:
• Displacement
• Velocity
• Acceleration
• Force

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Example:
Find the object: a bag of gold
Location of an object:
Instruction 1:
A bag of gold is located outside the classroom. To find it, displace yourself 20
meters. (scalar)
(not enough information to find an object… given magnitude : 20 meters)
Instruction 2:
A bag of gold is located outside the classroom. To find it, displace yourself from the
center of the classroom door 20 meters in a direction 30 degrees to the west of
north. (vector)
complete description: magnitude 20 meters
direction 30 0 to the west of north in
reference/starting position to the center of the classroom

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Vectors
• are quantities that are fully described by both a magnitude with unit and a direction in space.
• Geometrically, a vector as a directed line segment, whose length is the magnitude (distance or
length) of the vector and with an arrow indicating the direction. The direction of the vector is
from its tail to its head.

• Vectors can be represented in coordinates

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 Equality of two vectors
• Vectors with same magnitude and direction are
identical,
a certain vector is translated into a new position
(without rotating it), then at the end of the process , it is
the same vector in the beginning.

• two vectors A and B are equal if they have the same

magnitude and the same direction.
Example : (refer to the figure)
4 vectors are equal :
• even though they have different starting points.
• equal in lengths (same magnitude)
• points in the same direction

this property allows us to move a vector to a position

parallel to itself in a diagram without affecting the vector.

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Comparing
two vectors

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 Direction of vectors
Direction of vectors is: due East, due West, due South, and due North.
example : directed northeast at a 45 0 ; more north than east.

Two conventions of describing the direction of vectors:

1. It is expressed at an angle of rotation of the vector about its "tail"
from east, west, north, or south.

2. It is expressed as a counterclockwise angle of rotation of the vector

about its "tail“ from due East. (most common conventions for the
direction of a vector is used)

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Direction of vectors

Two conventions of describing the

direction of vectors:

1. It is expressed at an angle of rotation

of the vector about its "tail" from east,
west, north, or south.
Example:
A. 40 0 North of West (meaning a
vector pointing West has been rotated
40 0 towards the northerly direction)
B. 65 0 East of South (meaning a
vector pointing South has been rotated
65 0 towards the easterly direction).
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 Direction of vectors
Eight ways to describe an angle of
direction

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 Direction of vectors
Two conventions of describing the direction of
vectors:

2. It is expressed as a counterclockwise angle of

rotation of the vector about its "tail“ from due
East. (most common conventions for the direction
of a vector and is used)
Example:
A) a vector with a direction of 400 is a vector
that has been rotated 40 0 degrees in a
counterclockwise direction relative to due east.
B) a vector with a direction of 160 0 is a vector
that has been rotated 160 0 in a counterclockwise
direction relative to due east.
C) a vector with a direction of 240 0 is a vector
that has been rotated 240 0 in a counterclockwise
direction relative to due east.

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Negative vector
negative of the vector A
is defined as the vector that when added to A gives zero for the vector
sum. That is, A + (–A ) = 0.

The vectors A and –A have the same magnitude but point in opposite
directions.

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 Summation of vectors (resultant of vectors, R)
Draw a Vector diagram
• Vector addition for straight line
same direction
opposite direction
• Vector addition using Graphical Method (use the Phythagorean Theorem)
Two vectors with a right angle to each other
Parallelogram Method
Triangle/Polygon Method
• Vector addition in analytical
Using Laws of Sines and Cosines
Component Method
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Vector diagrams

• Vector diagrams are shown

using an arrow
• The length of the arrow
represents its magnitude
• The tip of the arrow shows
its direction

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Vector addition of a straight line with the
same direction
• The resultant is the sum or the combined effect of
vector quantities.

Example: v1
1. 6N
v1 v2 r = 10 N 2. r = 10 N
6N 4N 10 N 10 N
v2
4N
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Vector addition of straight line with opposite
direction.
Vectors in opposite directions:
1. v1 v2 r = - 4 m/s

6 m/s 10 m/s 4 m/s

2. v1 v2 r = 4 m/s

6 m/s 10 m/s 4 m/s

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Vectors : Addition of vectors has two important properties.
Commutative law: states that the order of • Associative law: states that the same of
addition doesn't matter: the three vectors does not depend on
which pair of vectors is added first.

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 Vector addition using Graphical Method
Two vectors with a right angle to each other: using Pythagorean Theorem

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 Vector addition using Graphical Method
PARALLELOGRAM METHOD

1. Draw the first vector, v1 Step 3

2. From the tail of the first vector, draw
v2
the second vector, v2
Step 3
3. From the heads, draw arrows parallel
to the two vectors
v1
4. Starting from the tail of the first vector,
draw the diagonal of the parallelogram
This is the resultant.
5. Using ruler and protractor to find the magnitude
and direction of the resultant, respectively
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 Vector addition using graphical method
TIRANGLE/POLYGON METHOD
(tail to head method)
v2
1. Draw the first vector, v1
2. From the head of the first vector (v1),
draw the second vector, v2
3. Draw the resultant vector by connecting
the tail of the first vector and head of the
last vector.
4. The process is repeated for all vectors v1
that are being added
4. Use ruler and protractor to find the
magnitude and direction of the resultant,
respectively
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Vector addition in analytical
LAWS OF SINES AND COSINES

1. Join the vectors head and tail

2. The magnitude and direction of

the resultant is computed using
Laws of Sines and Cosines

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 Vector addition: Law of sines and cosines

R

 B
Where: 
• A = v1 A
• B= v2
• R = resultant
Solving for θ:
Θ = angle of reference – given angle

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Vector addition in analytical
Component Method
Vectors are resolved into coordinate axes of
x – axis and y – axis

y-component

x-component

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Components of a vector
• vector with an angle directed to the coordinate axes, is
The components Rx and Ry of a resultant R.
transformed into two parts.
θy is the angle of the resultant R to the y-axis
• each part is perpendicular to the individual coordinate axes
θx is the angle of the resultant R to the x-axis.
• applied to resultant acting at some angle from the coordinate axes.
• the component of a resultant parallel to the x-axis is called the
x-component, the one parallel to the y-axis is the y-component
• components of a vector is represented using basic algebra and
trigonometry:

To solve the magnitude: using Pythagorean Theorem

To solve the direction, use basic trigonometry:

• Rx= Rcosθx= Rsinθy

• Ry= Rsinθx=Rcosθy
• tan θx = Ry /Rx
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Calculating the Magnitude of the Perpendicular Components

R
• If a vector of
magnitude R and
makes an angle  Ry
with the horizontal 
then the Rx
magnitude of the
components are: x-component: Rx = R cos 
y-component: Ry = R sin 
 should be a positive angle measured from the positive
x-axis (standard position of an angle) 39
Calculating the magnitude and direction of the
resultant vector (resultant of 3 vectors)

A Rx
B 
R Ry

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 Example: resultant of 2 vectors
1. A cross-country skier skis 1 km north and then 2 km east on a
horizontal snow field. How far and in what direction is she from the
starting point?
Given: skier distance: 1 km north
2 km east
Rqd: distance from the starting point
direction of the skier
Solution:
Draw the coordinate
Draw the vectors in the coordinate (tail to head)
Draw the resultant
Draw the angle of direction
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 Example: resultant of 2 vectors
1. A cross-country skier skis 1 km north and then 2 km east on a horizontal snow field. How far and in what direction is she from the starting point?
Solution:
Draw the coordinates
Draw the vectors (tail to head)
Draw the resultant
Draw the angle of direction

Ā2 = 2 km

R = √ Ā1 2+ Ā22 Ā1 = 1km
θ R
2
= 1 +2 2

R = 2.236 km.
tan θ = Ā2 / Ā1 = 2.0/1.0 = 63.435 0 east of north
Skier’s location is 2.236 km at 63.435 0 east of north

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Example : resultant of 2 vectors
A car travels 20.0 km due north and then 35.0 km in a direction 60.0° west of
north. Find the magnitude and direction of the car’s resultant displacement.
Given: car distance: 20.0 km due north
35.0 km in a direction of 60.0 0 west of north
Rqd: magnitude and direction of the car’s resultant displacement.
Solution:
Draw the coordinate
Draw the vectors in the coordinate (tail to head)
Draw the resultant
Draw the angle of direction
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 Example : resultant of 2 vectors
A car travels 20.0 km due north and then 35.0 km in a direction 60.0° west of north. Find the magnitude and
direction of the car’s resultant displacement.
Solution: 1. Draw the coordinate 2. Draw the vectors in the coordinate (tail to head)
3. Draw the resultant 4. Draw the angle of direction
Use the Law of sine and cosine B = 35.0 km
0
R = √ Ā1 2+ B22 - 2AB cos θ α 60.0
Solve θ using the counterclockwise angle
R θ
θ = angle of reference – given angle
θ = 180 0 – 60.0 0= 120.0 0 β A = 20.0 km
Solving for magnitude using Law of cos:
R = √ Ā1 2+ Ā22 - 2AB cos θ = √ (20.0 km ) 2+ (35.0 km ) 2 - 2(20.0 km )(35.0 km) cos 120.0 0
R = 48.2 km
Solving for direction using Law of sine:

Rearranging and substituting the values

Sin β x R = B sin θ
Sin β = B sin θ/R = [35.0 km/ 48.2 km ] ( sin 120.0 0 ) = sin -1 0.629 = sin -1 0.629 = 38.9 0
Car’s location : 48.2 km at 38.9 0 west of north 44
Example: Resultant of 2 Vectors

3. The following forces are applied to a body. What is

the magnitude and direction of the resultant force
acting on the body?
3 N, 45° east of north
5 N, 60° south of east

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 Example: Resultant of 3 Vectors
4. Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant of the
three forces below.
2 N, 270°
6 N, 300°
4 N, 45°

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 Assignment no. 2: copy the problem then solve with
complete solution immediately below the worded problem
1. The polar coordinates of a certain point are (r = 4.30 cm, θ = 214°). (a) Find its Cartesian coordinates x
and y. Find the polar coordinates of the points with Cartesian coordinates (b) (-x, y), (c) (-2x, -2y), and
(d) (3x, -3y).

2. Two forces of 3 N and 4 N are acting at a point such that the angle between them is 60 degrees. Find the resultant
force using the parallelogram method.

3. Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant of the following vectors using Laws of Sines and
Cosines: 10 N, E 50°N and 8 N, W10°S.

4. A spelunker is surveying a cave. She follows a passage 180 m straight west, then 210 m in a direction of 45° east of
south and then 280 m at 30° east of north. How far and in what direction must she walk further to go back to the
starting point? Use component method.

5. A hiker begins a trip by first walking 25.0 km southeast from her car. She stopped and set up her tent for the night.
On the second day she walks 40.0 km in a direction 60.0 0 north of east, at which point she discovers a forest
ranger’s tower?
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