Engineering

Mechanics -
A101ME

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Vector Algebra

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Vector Algebra – Vector Notation
Physical quantities in mechanics:

a)Scalar quantities (time, mass, power (= force * velocity), . . . ) are defned by one
number and a unit, e.g. t = 1s (time), m = 1kg.
note: mass /= weight, as mass is a substance, weight a force!
b)Vectors consist of magnitude and direction, here the magitude itself is a scalar
quantity.
v velocity F force

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Vector Algebra – Vector Notation
Typical magnitudes are Strength,
Length, etc:
Distance [m]
Speed [m/s]
The direction of a vector is defined a by a
unit vector, using the notation ea.
4

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Vector Algebra – Vector Notation
The length of ea is equal to one, in formulas

a |ea| = 1 .
e Hence for the general notation one has

a = a · ea,
describing the vector as a product of its length and its direction.
5

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Coordinate Representation
A coordinate representation can be given in a Cartesian Frame [Rene´ Descartes
1590 - 1670 ≡ Renatus Cartesius].

Basis vectors are orthogonal to each other, i.e. with KK

z

|ex| = |ey | = |ez | = 1 ez

b
ey
bz
y
ex bx
it holds ◦ by

<) {ex, ey } = <) {ex, ez } = <) {ey , ez } = 90 .

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Coordinate Representation
Using this decomposition, a vector can be reconstructed from its z
KK
coordinates as
b
ez bz
ey y
ex bx
b = bxex + by ey + bz ez . by

Here for example bz ez denotes the component (vector!) in z-direction,

consisting of the corresponding direction and magnitude.
𝑎𝑥
The coordinate notation 𝒂 = 𝑎𝑦 consisting of three coordinates of the
𝑎𝑧 vector a in a column vector leads to an
7 algebra.

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Coordinate Representation
Right-hand orthogonal reference frames are used extensively in representing
vectors.
Theorem: Each vector a in three-dimension space can be resolved into
components ax, ay and az along the x, y and z axes of a cartesian
reference frame.
Note: Two component representations of a single vector with respect to two
different coordinate systems are not same.
Use always a common coordinate system for all vectors.

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Coordinate Representation

And
9

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Coordinate Representation

10

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules
The operations defined in this context are

11

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

12

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

13

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

14

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

15

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

16

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

17

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

18

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

19

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

20

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

21

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

22

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

23

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022

 Calculation Rules

24

A101ME - Engineering Mechanics 05/10/2022