Vectors & Scalars

Goals:
● Understand the differences between vector and scalar quantities
● Be able to add vectors together in 1 and 2 dimensions
What are Vectors and Scalars?
● In Physics, quantities can be vectors or scalars
● Scalar
○ A measurement with a magnitude (size) but no direction
○ Ex: Time, height, distance, mass
● Vector
○ A measurement with a magnitude and a direction
○ Ex: displacement, velocity
 Why does it Matter?
Consider this bike ride:
● Distance, a scalar, means
the total length of the path
travelled
● Displacement, a vector,
means how far out of
place an object it
○ Where it is compared to
where it started
● These are very different
sizes here!

***We will deal more with these two terms in our next unit
Representing Vectors
Vectors can be represented in words or in a drawing

Words: My displacement travelling to school is 3.2 km East

OR
Drawing: Sketch the vector with an arrow, noting the approximate size and
direction
 The
ans
w
resu er is c
a
Adding Vectors in 1 Dimension
ltan
t ve lled the
ctor
!

If both vectors point in the same direction, simply add them!

● 45 km North + 22 km North

If the vectors point in opposite directions, you must pick a direction to make
positive, the other negative

● 45 km North + 22 km South
Quick Practice
Sketch each set of vectors and then add them to find the resultant. State your
answer to the correct number of significant figures:

1) 23 m South + 45 m North
2) 23 m South + 45 m South
3) 12 N Up + 18 N Down
4) 56.23 N East + 4.4 N West
Representing Vectors in 2 Dimensions
How would we write this vector?
m
4.3

38o

We need to state both the magnitude and the direction:

4.3 m East 38o North

Adding Vectors in 2 Dimensions: Right Angles
1) Sketch the vectors using an approximate scale
a) Sketch the second vector where the first ends: called “tip-to-tail”
2) Use trigonometry to determine the magnitude and angle of the resultant

a) 43 km North + 22 km East b) 18 N Down + 22 N Left

Quick Practice
Sketch each set of vectors and then add them to find the resultant. State your
answer to the correct number of significant figures:

1) 23 m South + 45 m East
2) 18 m South + 75 m West
3) 12 N Up + 18 N Right
4) 56 N East + 44 N North
Adding Vectors in 2 Dimensions: NON-Right Angles
1) Break all vectors into their components (perpendicular vectors that
‘make-up’ the vector)
2) Add the components in each perpendicular direction
3) Add these last two vectors together again

Ex: 22 m North 220 East + 16 m South 52o East

Quick Practice
Sketch each set of vectors and then add them to find the resultant. State your
answer to the correct number of significant figures:

1) 77 N Up + 23 N Up 18o Left
2) 14 m Left 22o Up + 27 m Right 41o Down
3) 88 m Right 37o Up + 52 m Left 21o Up
Practice Work
● Read through section 1.3 in your textbook
● Answer the questions #12 - 15 on page 26