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Vectors: A How To Guide
Vectors: A How To Guide
Vectors: A How To Guide
A How to Guide
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Scalar vs. Vector
Vector Quantity
Scalar Quantity
Magnitude
Numbers only
and(magnitude,
direction. size)
Examples: Force
15 seconds,
(20 N, 200
down),
grams,
Velocity
5 miles
(80 meters
States "howper second north)
much"
Expressed by a number and a unit.
Distance vs. Displacement
Distance - describes
Displacement the change
- describes in position
the change of anofobject
in position an
without
object inany specified
a specific direction.
direction.
Scalar quantity.
Vector quantity.
Example: If John walks 5 blocks to school, then realizes
Example: In the homework example, if school is directly
he forgot his homework and walks 5 blocks home to get
east of John’s
it. What total home what
distance hasishe
John's displacement?
walked? _____ blocks.
______ blocks
10 0
Speed vs. Velocity
Velocity- describes
Speed is speed inana object's
certain direction.
distance
moved
Velocityperis atime. No direction is specified
vector.
Speed
is a scalar.
The magnitude of velocity is speed.
Examples:
Examples: 25 25 m/s,
m/s 10°, 90 km/hr NW, 70
90mph
km/hr,
upward
70 mph
Vectors
Drawn using an arrow-tipped line.
The length of the line represents the
magnitude of the vector.
The direction of the arrow represents the
direction of the quantity.
Vector diagrams
depict the direction and magnitude of a
vector quantity (velocity) by a vector arrow.
Ex: Shows the
velocity of an
object during its
motion
Magnitude is represented by the size of the
vector arrow.
Be sure arrows
are drawn in the
proper direction!
VECTOR ADDITION
Steps of Vector Addition:
Start with a bold dot and draw the first
vector. Draw it to scale and in the proper
direction.
Draw the second vector, starting at the end
of the arrow of the first vector (head). Draw
the second vector to scale and in the proper
direction.
The resultant vector is found by connecting
the starting point (tail of the first vector)
with the head (arrow point) of the second
vector.
The resultant vector
(R) is the sum of
two vectors added
together. (R = A + B)
VECTOR ADDITION
Vector Addition
Graphically For parallel vectors, add the
magnitudes
4mN+1mS=3mN
4 m N + -1 m N = 3 m N
Independent of order
Vector Subtraction
Halliday, Wiley Publishing, Physics 6 th
ed
b is the same magnitude
as b but in the opposite
direction
So, subtraction is the same
as adding a – vector.
Halliday, Wiley Publishing, Physics 6 th ed
d a b a ( b )
D = A - B = A + (-B)
Vector Multiplication
Multiplying a vector (a) by a scalar (s) results
in a new vector where
The magnitude is the product of the vector times
the absolute value of the
scalar.
a s
The direction is the same
direction of a if s is positive,
but the opposite if s is
negative.
Vector Division
Dividing a vector (a ) by
a scalar (s) is the
same as multiplying a by 1/s.
The magnitude is the product of the vector times
the absolute value of the
scalar. 1
a
s
The direction is the same
direction of a if s is positive,
but the opposite if s is
negative.
Clicker Understanding
Which of the vectors below best
represents the vector sum +?
Clicker Understanding
Which of the vectors below best
represents the vector sum - ?
Clicker Understanding
Which of the vectors below best
represents the vector sum - ?
90° Vectors Addition
The Pythagorean Theorem is useful to
determine the resultant when adding only
two vectors that are at right angles to
each other.
Magnitude Calculation
A hiker leaves camp and hikes 11 km,
north and then hikes 11 km, east.
Determine the resulting displacement of
the hiker.
C = 15.6 km
Direction Calculation
SOH CAH TOA is another useful tool for
90° vectors.
Direction Calculations
This can be used to find any of the angles
in a problem. Use the hiker example to
find all the angles.
opposite 11
sin .7051
hypotenuse 15.6
sin 1 (0.7051) 45
A Different Challenge
A jogger runs 10 km West and then 5 km South.
What direction does he end up relative to his
starting point.
opposite 5km
tan 0. 5
adjacent 10km
46.0
Vectors in Space .
The landing speed of the space shuttle Atlantis is
347 km/h. If the shuttle is landing at an angle of
15 below the horizontal, what are the horizontal
and vertical components of its velocity?
Clicker Understanding
What are the x-
and y-components
of these vectors?
A. 3, 2
B. 2, 3
C. -3, 2
D. 2, -3
E. -3, -2
Clicker Understanding
The following vectors
have length 4.0 units.
What are the x- and
y-components of
these vectors?
A. 3.5, 2.0
B. -2.0, 3.5
C. -3.5, 2.0
D. 2.0, -3.5
E. -3.5, -2.0
Clicker Understanding
The following vectors
have length 4.0 units.
What are the x- and
y-components of
these vectors?
A. 3.5, 2.0
B. 2.0, 3.5
C. -3.5, 2.0
D. 2.0, -3.5
E. -3.5, -2.0
Clicker Understanding
The diagram shows
two successive
positions of a particle;
it’s a segment of a full
motion diagram.
Which of the
acceleration vectors
best represents the
acceleration between
vi and vf?
Boat Problems
Adding Vectors with Components
a a x2 a y2 a x 2 a y 2
Direction, θ