General Physics 1

Vector and Vector Addition

Scalar Quantities
- These are the quantities that can be
described completely by their
magnitudes and appropriate units.
o Mass
o Temperature
o Speed
o Time
o Distance
Vector Quantities
- These are the quantities that are
completely described by their
magnitudes, appropriate units, and
directions.
o Force
o Displacement
o Velocity
o Acceleration
Vector Representation and Direction

Vector Addition
Resultant Vector – it is the sum of two or
more vector quantities

A vector quantity could be represented by an

arrow.
The length and direction of the arrow
represents the magnitude and direction of
the vector quantity, respectively. - It is the single vector that, if
substituted in place of all vectors to
be added, would produce the same
combined effects of these vectors.
Properties of Vector Addition
1. Commutative Property
 2. Associative Property
Polygon Method
Methods of Vector Addition
General Methods of Adding Vectors
Steps in Adding Vectors using Polygon
1. Graphical Method
Method
2. Analytical Method
Graphical Method
1. Parallelogram Method
2. Polygon Method
Analytical Method
1. Using the Law of Sines and Cosines
2. Component Method
Steps in Adding two vectors using
parallelogram Method
1. Using a suitable scale, draw the
arrows representing the vectors from
a common point (a)
2. Construct a parallelogram using the
vectors as sides (b)
3. Draw the diagonal of the
parallelogram from the common
point. This represents the resultant R
(c)
4. Measure the length of the arrow
representing the resultant, and from
the scale used, determine its
magnitude.
5. Determine the direction of the
resultant vector using a protractor
Steps in Adding more than Two
Vectors using Parallelogram
1. After drawing the resultant of the
first two vectors, construct a
second parallelogram using this
resultant and the third vector as
sides.
2. Draw the diagonal of the
parallelogram from the common
point. This is now the new
resultant.
3. The process is continued until all
vectors have been added.
4. The magnitude of the final
resultant is determined from the
scale used. The direction is
measured by a protractor.
- It is otherwise known as the tip-to-
tail method. This is more convenient
than the parallelogram method when
more than two vectors are to be
added graphically.
1. Represent each vector quantity by an
arrow drawn to scale
2. Starting from the origin, draw the
first vector on the rectangular
coordinate system, accounting
properly its direction
3. Connect the tail of the second vector
to the head of the first vector. Then
connect the tail of the vector to the
head of the second vector. You may
continue drawing the vectors head to
tail until you draw the last vector to
be added
4. The resultant will close the figure
formed by connecting the vectors.
This Resultant is drawn from tail of
the first vector to the head of the last
vector.
5. Measure the length of the arrow
representing the resultant. Determine
the magnitude of the resultant from
the scale used.
6. Use a protractor to determine the
direction of the resultant.
Analytical Method
Triangle Method
- Not right triangle
Adding Vectors using the law of Sines
and Cosines
180 degrees

90 Degrees

Special Cases of Vectors

1. For two vectors acting in the same
direction
o The angle between the two
vectors is zero. The
magnitude of the resultant is
equal to the sum of the
magnitudes of the vectors.
The direction of the resultant
is the same as the direction of
the vectors.
2. For two vectors acting in opposite
direction
o The angle between the two
vectors is 180 degrees. The
magnitude of the resultant is
the difference between the
magnitudes of the vectors.
The direction of the resultant
is the direction of the larger
vector.
3. For two vectors that are
perpendicular to each other
o The magnitude of the
resultant can be obtained by
the Pythagorean Theorem.
The direction of the resultant
can be found by using any
trigonometric function of a
right triangle.