INTRODUCTION TO

VECTOR ANALYSIS
ENG 207A: PHYSICS FOR ENGINEERS 1A
University of Santo Tomas
2ND Semester, A.Y. 2019-20
 PHYSICS
The study of various physical phenomena and the
fundamental laws governing them.
 BRANCHES OF PHYSICS
PHYSICS
CLASSICAL MODERN
Developed before the Developed after the
19th century 19th century
• Classical Mechanics • Atomic physics
ENG 207A
• Thermodynamics • Nuclear physics
• Waves • Quantum mechanics
ENG 207B • Electromagnetism
• Optics
CLASSICAL MECHANICS
The study of effects produced by a force.
THERMODYNAMICS
The study of effects produced by heat.
FUNDAMENTAL QUANTITIES
Standard Unit of
Quantity
Measurement
Length meter (m)
Mass kilogram (kg)
Time second (s)
Temperature Kelvin (K)
Amount of a substance mole (mol)
Electric current ampere (A)
Luminous intensity candela (cd)
 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS
Convert 14.7 lb/in2 to kN/m2 where lb is a unit of force (lb force).

Conversion factors: 1 lb = 4.448 N

1 in = 0.0254 m
DIMENSIONAL HOMOGENEITY
The acceleration a of a particle is related to its velocity v, its position coordinate x,
and time t by the equation

a = Ax3t + Bvt2

where A and B are constants. The dimensions are as follows:

[a] = [m/s2], [v] = [m/s], [x] = [m], [t] = [s]

Derive the dimensions of A and B if the equation above is to be dimensionally

homogeneous.
VECTORS
 SCALAR vs. VECTOR
SCALAR QUANTITIES
- Completely specified by a single value/magnitude with an
appropriate unit and has no direction (e.g. speed and distance)

VECTOR QUANTITIES
- Fully described by both magnitude and direction (e.g. velocity
and displacement)
 Concept Check
Which of the following are vector quantities and which are scalar
quantities?
(a) Your age
(b) Acceleration
(c) Velocity
(d) Speed
(e) Mass
 SCALAR vs. VECTOR
DISTANCE vs. DISPLACEMENT

Determine the resulting displacement and distance traveled by the skier during these three minutes.

▪ Displacement – “how far out of place” is the final position from the initial position
▪ Distance – “how much ground an object has covered” during its motion
 COORDINATE SYSTEM
▪ This is used to represent the location of a
point in space.
▪ Two kinds of coordinate system:
▪ Cartesian/Rectangular coordinate
system (x,y)
▪ Polar coordinate system (r, θ)
WRITING VECTOR QUANTITIES
Vector quantities are usually represented by a letter with an arrow on top.
For example, vectors A and B are written as 𝑨 and 𝑩, respectively.
Graphical representation:

𝑨
 WRITING VECTOR QUANTITIES
VECTOR DIRECTION N
N NE
NW (+)
(+)

(-) (+)
(-) (+) W E
W E 45o

SW (-) SE
(-)
S
S
 WRITING VECTOR QUANTITIES
VECTOR DIRECTION Vectors may exist in between two
N axes (i.e. NW and SE) and may have
(+, −) NW NE (+, +) the same or different sign
(+)
conventions on the x and y axes.
The directions NE, NW, SW, and SE
(-) (+)
W E are used to describe vectors that for
45o exactly 45o with either the x or y
axes.
For example, vectors in the SE
(−, −) SW (-) SE (+, −) (southeast) direction are
positive (+) in x but
S negative (−) in y.
WRITING VECTOR QUANTITIES
VECTOR DIRECTION

E
It can also be described based on the
complementary angle of 25o which is 65o from the x
25o axis. The direction of this vector can, therefore, also
be referred to as 65o S of E.

The direction of this vector can be described as 25o E of S

based on the angle formed from the y axis.
S
 WRITING VECTOR QUANTITIES
Determine the direction of the vectors drawn below.

120o
B

15o
C A Answers:
45o
A: SE (southeast)
B: 30o E of N or 60o N of E
C: 15o S of W or 75o W of S
BASIC VECTOR ARITHMETIC
1. Two vectors are considered equal only if they have equal magnitude and they
point in the same direction.

𝑩 𝑪 𝑨=𝑪

𝑫 𝑩=𝑫

𝑨
BASIC VECTOR ARITHMETIC
2. The sum of two or more vectors is represented by a resultant vector, 𝑹.

𝑹
𝑹
𝑩 𝑩

𝑨 𝑨

𝑹=𝑨+𝑩 𝑹=𝑨+𝑩+𝑪
BASIC VECTOR ARITHMETIC
2. The sum of two or more vectors is represented by a resultant vector, 𝑹.
Components of a Vector:
Ax
cos  =  Ax = A cos 
A
Ay
𝑨𝒚 𝑨 sin  =  Ay = A sin 
A
𝜽
A= Ax 2 + Ay 2
𝑨𝒙
 Ay 
 = tan  
−1

 Ax 
Concept Check
BASIC VECTOR ARITHMETIC
2. The sum of two or more vectors is represented by a resultant vector, 𝑹.
Components of a Vector:

𝑹=𝑨+𝑩+𝑪
𝑪
𝑅𝑋 = 𝐴𝑋 + 𝐵𝑋 + 𝐶𝑋
𝑹 𝑅𝑌 = 𝐴𝑌 + 𝐵𝑌 + 𝐶𝑌
𝑩 𝑹𝒚
𝟐 −𝟏
𝑹= 𝑹𝒙 𝟐 + 𝑹𝒚 𝜽 = tan
𝑨 𝑹𝒙
 BASIC VECTOR ARITHMETIC
3. COMMUTATIVE LAW OF ADDITION
Independent of order of addition
4. ASSOCIATIVE LAW OF ADDITION
the sum of vectors remains same
irrespective of their order or grouping in
which they are arranged.

𝑨+𝑩 =𝑩+𝑨 𝑨+𝑩 +𝑪 =𝑨+ 𝑩+𝑪

𝑨
𝑪 𝑪
𝑩 𝑹
𝑩 𝑹 𝑹

𝑨
𝑩 𝑩

𝑨 𝑨
BASIC VECTOR ARITHMETIC
5. The negative of vector 𝑨 has the same magnitude but is opposite in
direction, such that
𝑨 + −𝑨 = 𝟎

6. VECTOR SUBTRACTION
𝑨 − 𝑩 = 𝑨 + −𝑩
𝑩
𝑨

𝑹 −𝑩
BASIC VECTOR ARITHMETIC
7. SCALAR MULTIPLICATION
• If vector 𝑨 is multiplied by a positive scalar quantity, m, then the
product m𝑨 has the same direction as 𝑨 and has a magnitude equal
to mA.
• If vector 𝑨 is multiplied by a negative scalar quantity, -m, then the
product −m𝑨 has the opposite direction as 𝑨 and has a magnitude
equal to mA.
Example 1
Example 2
 RESULTANT OF A VECTOR
GRAPHICAL SOLUTION

1. Draw the first vector with its tail at the origin (the starting
point).
2. Place the tail of succeeding vectors to the tip of the previous
vector. The order of placement of the vectors does not matter.
3. Once all vectors have been drawn, draw the resultant vector
from the tail of the first vector (the starting point) to the tip of
the last vector drawn.
 RESULTANT OF A VECTOR
MATHEMATICAL SOLUTION
𝐴𝑥 𝐴𝑥 = 𝐴 cos 𝜃 𝑅𝑥 = 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐶𝑥
cos 𝜃 =
𝐴 𝑅𝑦 = 𝐴𝑦 + 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐶𝑦
𝐴𝑦 𝐴𝑦 = 𝐴 sin 𝜃
sin 𝜃 =
𝐴
𝑅= 𝑅𝑥2 + 𝑅𝑦2
𝐴𝑦 𝐴𝑦
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 = 𝜃= tan−1
𝐴𝑥 𝐴𝑥
𝑅𝑦
𝐴2 = 𝐴2𝑥 + 𝐴2𝑦 𝜃𝑅 = tan−1
𝐴= 𝐴2𝑥 + 𝐴2𝑦 𝑅𝑥
 RESULTANT OF A VECTOR
Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector A = 2.0 km SE, vector B =
1,200 m 34o W of N, and vector C = 890 m E. Roughly draw the vectors and the
resultant using the tail to tip method to confirm your answer.

Answer: 𝑹 = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟖𝟔𝟐 𝐤𝐦, 𝜽 = 𝟏𝟒. 𝟒𝟎𝟐𝟐𝐨 S of E

SW/HW1
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.
 SW/HW2
A hiker begins a trip by first walking 25.0
km southeast from her car. She stops and sets
up her tent for the night. On the second day,
she walks 40.0 km in a direction 60.0° north
of east, at which point she discovers a forest
ranger’s tower. Determine the components of
the hiker’s displacement for each day.
Determine the components of the hiker’s
resultant displacement.