Kinematics in

Two Dimensions

STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1

1. Vector and Scalars
2. Addition of Vectors
➢Graphical
➢By components
3. Projectile Motion

STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1

 Scalar and Vector
Quantities that Quantities that
have no associated have associated
direction with direction with
them. them.

Magnitude Direction

STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1

SCALAR QUANTITIES VECTOR QUANTITIES

STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1

 HOW TO REPRESENT A VECTOR?

Arrow Arrow
Tail Head
Starting End Point
Point Arrow (Direction)
Length
Magnitude

STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1

• Vector quantities are often represented by scaled
vector diagrams and by use of an arrow drawn to scale
in a specific direction.
• Such diagrams are commonly called as free-body
diagrams.

STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1

 CONVENTIONS FOR DESCRIBING
VECTOR DIRECTION OF VECTORS
•Vectors can be directed due East, due West, due
South, and due North.
N
NW NE • At 450 degree angle (in
between): Northwest,
W E Northeast, Southwest,
SW SE
Southeast.
S STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
1. The direction of a vector is often expressed
as an angle of rotation of the vector about
its "tail" from east, west, north, or south.
N

5 m, 𝟑𝟎𝟎 N of E
300 From EAST Axis if you
W E
0
40 are moving towards
NORTH
6 m, 𝟒𝟎𝟎 S of W

S
STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
 N

E of N
W of N

N of W N of E
W E
S of W S of E

W of S E of S

S
STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
 2. The direction of a vector is often expressed as a
counterclockwise angle of rotation of the
vector about its "tail" from due East.
N

Using this convention, a vector

with a direction of 300 is a vector
that has been rotated 300 in a 300
W E
counterclockwise direction
relative to due east.

STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1

S
• A vector with a direction of 1600 is a vector
that has been rotated 160 0
in a
counterclockwise direction relative to due east.
N

1600
W E

S
STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
•A vector with a direction of 2700 is a vector that
has been rotated 2700 in a counterclockwise
direction relative to due east.
N

0
270
W E

S
STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
 VECTOR
ADDITION

STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1

 GRAPHICAL METHOD OF ADDING
VECTORS
•The combined effects of two or more
vectors.
•The sum of two or more vectors is
called the resultant (R).

STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1

Combining vectors in one dimension
𝑁𝑒𝑡 or 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
8 km + 6 km=14 km East

𝑁𝑒𝑡 or 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
8 km - 6 km=2 km East
STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
 What if vectors are not along the same line?
N
The magnitude length can be
𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 1 = 10 𝑘𝑚
𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 2 = 5 𝑘𝑚
obtained using the theorem
of Pythagoras
𝑫𝟐 𝑫𝟐

𝑫𝟏
𝜃 =? 2 2 2
𝐷𝑅 = 𝐷1 +𝐷2
E
𝑫𝟏 𝐷𝑅 = 𝐷12 +𝐷22
STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
 THE USE OF TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS
• To find the angle 𝜃 of the vector from the horizontal
axis, we can use the horizontal component 𝑥 and the
vertical component 𝑦 in the trigonometric identity:

𝑦 Taking the reverse of the tan

tan 𝜃 = function to find the 𝜃:
𝑥 𝑦
−1
θ = tan
𝑥
STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
 Trigonometric Functions:
SOH CAH TOA
𝑶 𝑨 𝑶
𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽 = 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽 = 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜽 =
𝑯 𝑯 𝑨
Opposite Adjacent Hypotenuse
[O] [A] [H]
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 Opposite (y)
𝜃
Adjacent (x)
STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
Rules for graphically adding two vectors together,
no matter what angles they make, to get their sum:
1. On a diagram, draw one of the vectors—
call it 𝑣1(𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 1) —to scale.

𝒗𝟏
STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
2. Next draw the second vector,
𝑣2 (𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 2) to scale, placing its tail at
the tip of the first vector and being sure
its direction is correct.

𝒗𝟐

𝒗𝟏
STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
3. The arrow drawn from the tail of the first
vector to the tip of the second vector
represents the sum, or resultant, of the two
vectors.

𝒗𝟐

𝒗𝟏
STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1
Note: The length of the resultant can be
measured with a ruler and compared to
the scale. Angles can be measured with a
protractor. This method is known as the
tail-to-tip method of adding vectors.

STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1

 Parallelogram Method of Adding
Vectors
The two vectors are drawn starting from a
common origin, and a parallelogram is
constructed.

+
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=
Tail – to – tip method
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≠
Incorrect
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=

Parallelogram method
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STEM 12, GENERAL PHYSICS 1