GENERAL PHYSICS 1

Vectors and Vector Addition

 Scalar Quantity
• Are quantities that are described by their
magnitude.

• Ex: distance, area, speed, mass, volume,

density
 Vector Quantity
• Are quantities that are described by their
magnitude and direction.

• Ex: force downward, velocity of a car

moving east, displacement of a pencil
thrown upward, acceleration towards the
west.
 Vector Quantity E
N

S
E
 Vector Addition
• Resultant is the vector sum of more than
one vector.
• Although addition is the word use but it is
combining vectors having different
magnitude and direction.
 Rules in Vector
Addition
1. When two given vectors are acting on the
same direction.
• Add the magnitude of the two vectors to
get the resultant.
• For the direction, use same direction of
the given vectors.
 Rules in Vector
Addition
1. When two given vectors are acting on the
same direction.
• Add the magnitude of the two vectors to
get the resultant.
• For the direction, use same direction of
the given vectors.
 Example
Two SHS students are walking in the
corridor towards the east. One has a velocity
of 25m/s and the other is 18m/s/ Calculate
the magnitude and direction of the resultant.
 Example
Two SHS students are walking in the
corridor towards the east. One has a velocity
of 25m/s and the other is 18m/s/ Calculate
the magnitude and direction of the resultant.
 Example
Two SHS students are walking in the
corridor towards the east. One has a velocity
of 25m/s and the other is 18m/s/ Calculate
the magnitude and direction of the resultant.

R = 25m/s east +
 Example
Two SHS students are walking in the
corridor towards the east. One has a velocity
of 25m/s and the other is 18m/s/ Calculate
the magnitude and direction of the resultant.

R = 25m/s east + 18m/s east

 Example
Two SHS students are walking in the
corridor towards the east. One has a velocity
of 25m/s and the other is 18m/s/ Calculate
the magnitude and direction of the resultant.

R = 25m/s east + 18m/s east

R = 43m/s east
 Rules in Vector
Addition
2. When two vector are acting in the
opposite direction.
• Subtract the magnitude of the two vectors
to get the resultant.
• For the direction, follow the direction of the
larger magnitude.
 Rules in Vector
Addition
2. When two vector are acting in the
opposite direction.
• Subtract the magnitude of the two vectors
to get the resultant.
• For the direction, follow the direction of the
larger magnitude.
 Example
From the library door, a SHS student walks
7 meters west towards the next room and
the other student walks 15 meters east to
the computer room. Calculate the magnitude
and direction of the resultant of the two
students.
 Example
From the library door, a SHS student walks
7 meters west towards the next room and
the other student walks 15 meters east to
the computer room. Calculate the magnitude
and direction of the resultant of the two
students.
 Example
From the library door, a SHS student walks
7 meters west towards the next room and
the other student walks 15 meters east to
the computer room. Calculate the magnitude
and direction of the resultant of the two
students.

R = 15 m east -
 Example
From the library door, a SHS student walks
7 meters west towards the next room and
the other student walks 15 meters east to
the computer room. Calculate the magnitude
and direction of the resultant of the two
students.

R = 15 m east – 7 m west
 Example
From the library door, a SHS student walks
7 meters west towards the next room and
the other student walks 15 meters east to
the computer room. Calculate the magnitude
and direction of the resultant of the two
students.

R = 15 m east – 7 m west
R = 8 m east
 Rules in Vector
Addition
 Rules in Vector
Addition
 Example
A car travels 4km east then turns south for
another 3km. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement.
 Example
A car travels 4km east then turns south for
another 3km. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement.
A car travels 4km east then turns south for
another 3km. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement.
For the magnitude:
R =c =a + b
A car travels 4km east then turns south for
another 3km. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement.
For the magnitude:
R =c =a + b
R = (3km) + (4km)
A car travels 4km east then turns south for
another 3km. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement.
For the magnitude:
R =c =a + b
R = (3km) + (4km)
R = 5 km
A car travels 4km east then turns south for
another 3km. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement.
For the magnitude:
R =c =a + b
R = (3km) + (4km)
R = 5 km

For the angle & direction:

Tan =
A car travels 4km east then turns south for
another 3km. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement.
For the magnitude:
R =c =a + b
R = (3km) + (4km)
R = 5 km

For the angle & direction:

Tan =

=
A car travels 4km east then turns south for
another 3km. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement.
For the magnitude:
R =c =a + b
R = (3km) + (4km)
R = 5 km

For the angle & direction:

Tan =

= = 0.75
A car travels 4km east then turns south for
another 3km. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement.
For the magnitude:
R =c =a + b
R = (3km) + (4km)
R = 5 km

For the angle & direction:

Tan =

= = 0.75
= Tan 0.75 (shift tan)
A car travels 4km east then turns south for
another 3km. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement.
For the magnitude:
R =c =a + b
R = (3km) + (4km)
R = 5 km

For the angle & direction:

Tan =

= = 0.75
= Tan 0.75 (shift tan)
= 36.86°
A car travels 4km east then turns south for
another 3km. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement.
For the magnitude:
R =c =a + b
R = (3km) + (4km)
R = 5 km

For the angle & direction:

Tan =

= = 0.75
= Tan 0.75 (shift tan)
= 36.86°
R = 5km 36.86° south of east or 5km E 36.86° S
 Rules in Vector
Addition
4. When two vectors form an oblique triangle
• The diagonal form by the two vectors is
the resultant.
• Use cosine and sine law to find the
magnitude and direction of the result.
 Rules in Vector
Addition
4. When two vectors form an oblique triangle
• The diagonal form by the two vectors is
the resultant.
• Use cosine and sine law to find the
magnitude and direction of the result.
 Example
A car moves 5km east and turns 45° north of
east for another 3.25km before coming to
stop. Find the magnitude and direction of the
resultant displacement of the car.
 A car moves 5km east and turns 45°
north of east for another 3.25km before
coming to stop. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement of the
car.
 A car moves 5km east and turns 45°
north of east for another 3.25km before
coming to stop. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement of the
car.
 A car moves 5km east and turns 45°
north of east for another 3.25km before
coming to stop. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement of the
car.
For the magnitude:
by cosine law
R = c = a + b - 2ab cosC
 A car moves 5km east and turns 45°
north of east for another 3.25km before
coming to stop. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement of the
car.
For the magnitude:
by cosine law
R = c = a + b - 2ab cosC
R = 5 + 3.25 - 2(5)(3.25) cos135
 A car moves 5km east and turns 45°
north of east for another 3.25km before
coming to stop. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement of the
car.
For the magnitude:
by cosine law
R = c = a + b - 2ab cosC
R = 5 + 3.25 - 2(5)(3.25) cos135
R = 7.65 km

km
 A car moves 5km east and turns 45°
north of east for another 3.25km before
coming to stop. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement of the
car.
For the magnitude:
by cosine law
R = c = a + b - 2ab cosC
R = 5 + 3.25 - 2(5)(3.25) cos135
R = 7.65 km
For the angle & direction:
by sine law
 A car moves 5km east and turns 45°
north of east for another 3.25km before
coming to stop. Find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant displacement of the
car.
For the magnitude:
by cosine law
R = c = a + b - 2ab cosC
R = 5 + 3.25 - 2(5)(3.25) cos135
R = 7.65 km
For the angle & direction:
by sine law
 A car moves 5km east and turns 45° north of
east for another 3.25km before coming to stop. Find the
magnitude and direction of the resultant displacement of
the car.
For the magnitude:
by cosine law
R = c = a + b - 2ab cosC
R = 5 + 3.25 - 2(5)(3.25) cos135
R = 7.65 km
For the angle & direction:
by sine law
 A car moves 5km east and turns 45° north of
east for another 3.25km before coming to stop. Find the
magnitude and direction of the resultant displacement of
the car.
For the magnitude:
by cosine law
R = c = a + b - 2ab cosC
R = 5 + 3.25 - 2(5)(3.25) cos135
R = 7.65 km
For the angle & direction:
by sine law
 A car moves 5km east and turns 45° north of
east for another 3.25km before coming to stop. Find the
magnitude and direction of the resultant displacement of
the car.
For the magnitude:
by cosine law
R = c = a + b - 2ab cosC
R = 5 + 3.25 - 2(5)(3.25) cos135
R = 7.65 km
For the angle & direction:
by sine law
 A car moves 5km east and turns 45° north of
east for another 3.25km before coming to stop. Find the
magnitude and direction of the resultant displacement of
the car.
For the magnitude:
by cosine law
R = c = a + b - 2ab cosC
R = 5 + 3.25 - 2(5)(3.25) cos135
R = 7.65 km
For the angle & direction:
by sine law
__