Fundamentals of Mechanics (PHYS 1201)

Scalar and Vector Quantities

SAMBANI, D

CUNIMA

August 22, 2023

SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

Preliminaries
Quantities with magnitude only are referred to as scalar
quantities.
Examples of scalar quantities are temperature, distance, volume,
speed, mass, density, pressure, etc.
A vector is a quantity with both magnitude and direction.
Examples are displacement, velocity, force, acceleration,
momentum, etc.

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SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

Preliminaries
1 State if the following are vectors or not.
Water flowing from the top of a hill at constant speed.
A boy covering a distance of 20 km.

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VECTOR REPRESENTATION

A vector is represented using an arrow and magnitude. An arrow

shows direction.
40N
−−−−−−−−−−−−→
Sometimes we use letters with an arrow or a dash on top to
denote a vector: ⃗a; ā.

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VECTOR RELATIONSHIPS

The following are vector relationships or properties:

1 Vectors are equal if they have the same magnitude, direction,
and dimension.
2 Only vectors of the same units can be added or subtracted.
3 The negative of a vector has the same magnitude but opposite
direction.
4 Subtraction of a vector is defined by adding a negative vector.
5 Multiplication or division of a vector by a scalar results in a
vector for which;
i Only a magnitude changes if the scalar is positive.
ii The magnitude changes and direction is reversed if the scalar is
negative.

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TECHNIQUES OF ADDING VECTORS

When we have vectors acting at any angle other than 180° we

use triangular or parallelogram or polygonal rules to work out
their resultant and direction.
1 TRIANGULAR RULE: Triangular rule maybe applied in two
aspects 1 numerical method and 2 graphical method.
In numerical method we normally apply trigonometry
(Pythagoras theorem, sine and cosine rules). Graphical method
is basically scale drawing.

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TECHNIQUES OF ADDING VECTORS

The following steps are followed when applying triangular rule in

graphical method
i Select an appropriate scale
ii Draw vector V1 using the selected scale without changing its
original direction.
iii Join the tail of vectors V2 to the head of vector V1 without
changing the direction of vector V2
iv Using the same scale draw a third vector joining the tail of V1
to the head of V2 and this is referred to as a RESULTANT.

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TECHNIQUES OF ADDING VECTORS

Consider the vectors below:

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TECHNIQUES OF ADDING VECTORS

2 PARALLELOGRAM RULE: This rules states that the

resultant of two vectors acting at any point and at any angle is
represented by a diagonal formed after completing the vectors
into a parallelogram.
When adding vectors using parallelogram rule, we can either
apply the graphical method or numerical method.
Most of the steps followed in parallelogram rule are similar to
the steps in in triangular rule.

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TECHNIQUES OF ADDING VECTORS

i Select an appropriate scale.

ii Using the selected scale, draw vectors A and B joined head to
tail.
iii Complete vectors A and B into a parallelogram.
iv Draw a diagonal from where A and B are meeting and that is
the RESULTANT VECTOR.

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TECHNIQUES OF ADDING VECTORS

Consider vectors A and B in the figure below; if A is 3N and B is

5N, find the magnitude and direction of the resultant of the two
vectors.

SAMBANI, D (CUNIMA) Fundamentals of Mechanics (PHYS 1201) August 22, 2023 11 / 19

TECHNIQUES OF ADDING VECTORS

Applying graphical (polygon) method we produce the figure

shown below

Measuring the length of the resultant on a graph using an

appropriate scale gives 7.1 N as magnitude and 21°from vector
B as direction.

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Polygon Method - Example
A car travels 3.5km to the NE at 40° from the horizontal. Then it
turns to the NW, at 70° from the horizontal and travels 3km. Finally,
it continues towards NW at 20° from the horizontal, travelling 5.5km
before reaching its destination.

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TECHNIQUES OF ADDING VECTORS
Numerical Methods

We compute both the magnitude and direction of the resultant

using trigonometry:
i Pythagoras Theorem: used when two vectors are acting at right
angles R 2 = A2 + B 2
ii Cosine rule: C 2 = A2 + B 2 − 2ABcosθ
sinA sinB sinC
iii Sine rule: = =
a b c

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Techniques of Adding Vectors
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1 A force of 3N acts at angle of 60° to a force of 5N. Use the

numerical method to determine the magnitude and direction of
their resultant force.
2 Two equal forces F have a resultant of 1.5 F. Find the angle
between the two forces.

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Components of Vectors
We can represent any vector lying in the xy-plane as the sum of
a vector parallel to the x -axis and a vector parallel to the y -axis.
These two vectors are denoted as A ⃗ x and A
⃗ y , respectively, and
they are called the components of vector A ⃗
⃗ its x and y components are given as
For a vector A,
Ax = A⃗ cos θ and Ay = A ⃗ sin θ. Note that θ is measured from
the +x axis, rotating toward the +y axis.

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Components of Vectors: Example
What are the x and y components of vector D⃗ in the figure below.
The magnitude of the vector is D = 3.00m, and the angle α = 45°

Solution
Dx = D cos θ = 3.00m × cos(−45°)=2.1m
Dy = D sin θ = 3.00 × sin(−45°)=-2.1m

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Components of Vectors: Practice Question
In the figure below, the magnitude of the vector E = 4.50m and the
angle β = 37.0°. Find the x and y components of the vector E⃗

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Finding magnitude and direction of a vector from its components:
We can describe a vector completely by giving either its
magnitude and direction or its x and y components. We can
find the magnitude and direction if we know its components.
The magnitude of vector A⃗ denoted as A is given as:
q
= A2x + A2y
The expression for the vector direction comes from the definition
of the tangent of an angle. If θ is measured from the +x -axis,
and a positive angle is measured toward the +y -axis, then
Ay Ay
tan = and θ = arctan
Ax Ax

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