VECTORS

Level 1 Physics
 Objectives and Essential
Questions
 Objectives  Essential Questions
 Distinguish between basic  What is a vector quantity? What
trigonometric functions (SOH is a scalar quantity? Give
CAH TOA) examples of each.
 Distinguish between vector and
scalar quantities
 Add vectors using graphical and
analytical methods
 SCALAR
A SCALAR quantity Scalar
is any quantity in Example Magnitude
physics that has
Speed 35 m/s
MAGNITUDE ONLY

Distance 25 meters

Number value
with units Age 16 years
 VECTOR
A VECTOR quantity Vector Magnitude and
is any quantity in Example Direction
physics that has Velocity 35 m/s, North
BOTH MAGNITUDE
and DIRECTION
Acceleration 10 m/s2, South

Force 20 N, East

r r r r
x
, v , a, F An arrow above the symbol
illustrates a vector quantity.
It indicates MAGNITUDE and
DIRECTION
 VECTOR APPLICATION
ADDITION: When two (2) vectors point in the SAME direction, simply
add them together.

EXAMPLE: A man walks 46.5 m east, then another 20 m east.

Calculate his displacement relative to where he started.

46.5 m, E + 20 m, E

MAGNITUDE relates to the

size of the arrow and
66.5 m, E DIRECTION relates to the
way the arrow is drawn
 VECTOR APPLICATION
SUBTRACTION: When two (2) vectors point in the OPPOSITE direction,
simply subtract them.

EXAMPLE: A man walks 46.5 m east, then another 20 m west.

Calculate his displacement relative to where he started.

46.5 m, E
-

20 m, W

26.5 m, E
NON-COLLINEAR VECTORS
When two (2) vectors are PERPENDICULAR to each other, you must
use the PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM

FINISH
Example: A man travels 120 km east FINISH
then 160 km north. Calculate his the hypotenuse is
called the RESULTANT
resultant displacement.

c a b c a b
2 2 2 2 2 160 km, N
VERTICAL

 
COMPONENT

c 120 160
2 2

c200km 120 km, E

HORIZONTAL COMPONENT
 WHAT ABOUT DIRECTION?
In the example, DISPLACEMENT asked for and since it is a VECTOR quantity,
we need to report its direction.

W of N E of N
N of E
N of W
N of E
W E
S of W S of E
NOTE: When drawing a right triangle that
conveys some type of motion, you MUST draw
W of S E of S
your components HEAD TO TOE.
S
NEED A VALUE – ANGLE!
Just putting N of E is not good enough (how far north of east ?).
We need to find a numeric value for the direction.

To find the value of the angle

we use a Trig function called
TANGENT.
200 km
160 km, N
opposite side 160
Tan     1.333
 N of E adjacent side 120
120 km, E 
 Tan 1
(1.333)  53.1o

So the COMPLETE final answer is : 200 km, 53.1 degrees North of East

 What are your missing
components?
Suppose a person walked 65 m, 25 degrees East of North. What were
his horizontal and vertical components?
The goal: ALWAYS MAKE A RIGHT
H.C. = ?
TRIANGLE!

V.C = ? To solve for components, we often use the

25 65 m trig functions since and cosine.
adjacent side opposite side
cosine  sine 
hypotenuse hypotenuse
adj  hyp cos  opp  hyp sin 

adj  V .C.  65 cos 25  58.91m, N

opp  H .C.  65 sin 25  27.47 m, E
 Example
A bear, searching for food wanders 35 meters east then 20 meters north. Frustrated, he
wanders another 12 meters west then 6 meters south. Calculate the bear's displacement.

23 m, E
- =

12 m, W
- =
14 m, N
6 m, S
20 m, N
R  14 2  232  26.93m
14
35 m, E R 14 m, N Tan    .6087
23

  Tan 1 (0.6087)  31.3
23 m, E
The Final Answer: 26.93 m, 31.3 degrees NORTH or EAST
 Example
A boat moves with a velocity of 15 m/s, N in a river which flows
with a velocity of 8.0 m/s, west. Calculate the boat's resultant
velocity with respect to due north.

Rv  82  152  17 m / s
8.0 m/s, W
8
15 m/s, N
Tan    0.5333
Rv  15
  Tan 1 (0.5333)  28.1

The Final Answer : 17 m/s, @ 28.1 degrees West of North

PRACTICE PROBLEM