BS-103

Engineering Physics
 Contents
 Components of Vectors
 Unit Vectors
 Adding Vectors by Components
 Vectors & the Laws of Physics
 Multiplying Vectors
 Problems
Components of Vectors
A component of a vector is the projection
of the vector on the axis.

The process of finding the components of

a vector is called resolving the vector.

a x  a cos 
a
tan  
a y  a sin 
x

a y


a  a  a2x  a2y
ay
tan  
ax
Vectors with Components of Different Signs
Example:

SOLUTION:
 Unit Vectors
A Unit Vector is a vector that has magnitude of exactly 1 and points in a
particular direction. It lacks both dimension and unit. Its sole purpose is to
specify a direction.

Unit vectors in the positive directions of the x, y, z axes are labeled as:
  
i j k
“right-handed coordinate system”

  
a  ax i  a y j
Example:
A ship sets out to sail to a point 120km due north. An unexpected storm blows the
ship to a point 100km due east of its starting point. (a) How far and (b) in what
direction must it now sail to reach its original destination?
SOLUTION:
Adding Vectors by Components
Adding Vector by Components

C x  Ax  Bx

C y  Ay  B y
Example:
Example:
 Vectors and the Laws of Physics
The properties of the vector are independent on the choice of coordinate system.

  
a  ax i  a y j
a x  a cos 
a y  a sin 

  
a  ax i   ay j 
ax  a cos  
    
ay  a sin  
 Example:
Vector a with magnitude 17.0 m is
directed +56.00 counterclockwise
from the + x axis. What are the
components (a) ax and (b) ay?.

A second coordinate system is

inclined 18.00 with respect to the
first. What are the components of
(c) ax’ and (d) ay’?
 Multiplying Vectors
Multiply a vector by a scalar:
If we multiply a vector a with ascalar S, we get a new vector. Its magnitude is
 the magnitudeaof and absolute value of S, Its direction is the
the product of
direction of a if S is positive, but opposite direction if S is negative.

b  s a   s ax  i   s a y  j
   
 Multiplying Vectors
Multiply a vector by a vector:

The Scalar Product (which produce scalar): The scalar (or dot) product of two
vectors and is written as and is the scalar quantity given by :

Where
is the magnitude of ,
is the magnitude of and
is the angle between the directions of and
 Multiplying Vectors
A scalar product is the product of the
magnitude of one vector and the
scalar component of second vector
along the direction of first vector

In unit-vector notation.
 Multiplying Vectors
The Vector Product (which produce new vector):
Example:
Problems:
Text book#1 chapter 3

Problems:
1,2,3,4,5,8,9,10,12,13,14,17,19,22,29,30,32,33,35,36