Scalars and vectors

1) Scalars are quantities that have magnitude only eg distance, speed, time, mass, energy and
temperature
2) Vector quantities have magnitude as well as direction eg displacement, force, weight, velocity,
acceleration, momentum, electric field strength and gravitational field strength
3) For adding scalar quantities, we simply add the numbers.
4) For adding vector quantities, we have to take their direction into consideration

5) To add two vectors at right angle we use the tip to tail method

The process is as follows:

a) Choose a suitable scale to represent the vector in terms of a length

b) Draw the first vector in the same direction as given in the question
c) Draw the second vector so that its tail is placed on the tip of the first vector. Do not change the
direction of any vector during this process
d) The resultant will be obtained by joining the tail of the first vector with the tip of the second
e) Measure the length of the resultant and multiply it with the diagrams scale to determine the
magnitude of the resultant vector
f) Measure the angle to determine the direction of the resultant vector
g) The resultant of two vectors at right angles to each other can also be found out using
Pythagoras theorem