Chapter 3

Vectors in Physics
 Units of Chapter 3
• 3-1: Scalars Versus Vectors
• 3-2: The Components of a Vector
•3-3: Adding and Subtracting Vectors
•3-4: Unit Vectors
•3-5: Position , Displacement , Velocity and
Acceleration Vectors.
 3-1: Scalars Versus Vectors
Scalar: number with units. It can be positive, negative or zero
Vector: quantity with magnitude and direction
How to get to the library: need to know how far and which
way

A library is located 0.5 mi from you.

Can you point where exactly it is?
 Vector and Scalar Quantities

 Vectors  Scalars:
 Displacement  Distance
 Velocity (magnitude and  Speed (magnitude of
direction!) velocity)
 Acceleration  Temperature
 Force  Mass
 Momentum  Energy
 Time

To describe a vector we need more information than to

describe a scalar! Therefore vectors are more complex!
 Representing a Vector
A vector is represented as a bold faced letter or an arrow is
placed at the top of the letter for e.g :

1) Vector A: A OR 2) Vector A:

tail

A OR     

head

  
 Important Notation
 To describe vectors we will use:
 The bold font: Vector A is A

 Or an arrow above the vector: A
 In the pictures, we will always show

vectors as arrows
 Arrows point the direction

 To describe the magnitude of a vector

we will use absolute value sign: or


just A , A
 Magnitude is always positive, the

magnitude of a vector is equal to the

length of a vector.
Properties of Vectors
Equality of Two Vectors
Two vectors are equal if they have the
same magnitude and the same direction
Movement of vectors in a diagram
Any vector can be moved parallel to itself
without being affected
 Negative Vectors
 Two vectors are negative if they have the same
magnitude but are 180° apart (opposite directions)

 
    A
A  B; A   A  0 
B
 3-2 The Components of a Vector
Describing Vectors Algebraically
Vectors: Described by the number, units and direction!

Vectors: Can be described by their magnitude and direction.

For example: Your displacement is 1.5 m at an angle of 250.
Can be described by components? For example: your
displacement is 1.36 m in the positive x direction and 0.634 m in
the positive y direction.
Components of a Vector
A component is a part
It is useful to use rectangular
components These are the
projections of the vector
along the x- and y-axes
3-2 Components of a Vector
The x-component of a vector is
the projection along the x-axis
Ax
cos   Ax  A cos 
A
The y-component of a vector is
the projection along the y-axis
Ay
sin   Ay  A sin 
A
Then,
q   
A  Ax  Ay
 More About Components
The components are the legs of the
right triangle whose hypotenuse is
A

 Ax  A cos( )

 Ay  A sin( )
 A   A  2   A 2

 x y

 Ay 1 
Ay 
tan    or   tan  
 Ax  Ax 
q
Exercise 3-1
Find Ax and Ay for the vector A with magnitude and
direction given by A= 3.5m, and Ѳ = 660

Find B and Ѳ for the vector B with components Bx= 75.5m and
By = 6.20m

Sol:- Ax= 1.4m , Ay= 3.2m

 Bx =7.58m , Ѳ= 4.690

Solve exercise 3-2 and 3-3

 Components of a Vector
The previous equations are valid only if θ is
measured with respect to the x-axis
The components can be positive or negative and will
have the same units as the original vector
θ=0, Ax=A>0, Ay=0
θ=45°, Ax=Acos45°>0, Ay=Asin45°>0
ax < 0 ax > 0
θ=90°, Ax=0, Ay=A>0
ay > 0 ay > 0
θ θ=135°, Ax=Acos135°<0, Ay=Asin135°>0
ax < 0 ax > 0 θ=180°, Ax=-A<0, Ay=0
ay < 0 ay < 0 θ=225°, Ax=Acos225°<0, Ay=Asin225°<0
θ=270°, Ax=0, Ay=-A<0
θ=315°, Ax=Acos315°<0, Ay=Asin315°<0
 3-2 The Components of a Vector

Signs of vector components:

 3-3 Adding and Subtracting Vectors

Adding Vectors Using Components:

1. Find the components of each vector to be added.
2. Add the x- and y-components separately.
3. Find the resultant vector.
3-3 Adding and Subtracting Vectors
Adding Vectors Algebraically
Consider two vectors

A  Ax iˆ  Ay ˆj

B  Bx iˆ  B y ˆj
Then
 
A  B  ( Ax iˆ  Ay ˆj )  ( Bx iˆ  B y ˆj )
 ( Ax  Bx )iˆ  ( Ay  B y ) ˆj
  
If
C  A  B  ( Ax  Bx )iˆ  ( Ay  B y ) ˆj
so
C x  Ax  Bx C y  Ay  B y
Example

The vector A has a magnitude of 5.o0 m and the direction angle of
 
60.0o;the vector B has a magnitude of 4.00m and a direction angle of 20.0 o .
Find (a) magnitude of resultant vector ‘= A+B
(b) and, its direction angle

Find vector = A-B

Sol:--Ax
= 2.50m, Ay = 4.33m

Bx= 3.76m, By= 1.37m

Cx = 6.26m,
Cy= 5.70m
C =8.47m, Ѳ= 42.3o
 3-3 Adding and Subtracting Vectors
Subtracting Vectors: The negative of a vector is a
vector of the same magnitude pointing in the
opposite direction. Multiplying a vector by -1
reverses its direction.Here,   . 
D= A  B
Vector Subtraction
Special case of vector
addition 
Add the negative of the B
subtracted vector

 
   
A  B  A  B

Continue with standard A 
  B
vector addition procedure
A B
 3-4 Unit Vectors
Unit vectors are dimensionless vectors of unit
length.
Unit Vectors
Component of a vector is still vectors
  
A  Ax  Ay
Vectors have units (i.e. m/s)
iˆ  x ˆj  y kˆ  z
q Unit vectors used to specify direction
Unit vectors have a magnitude of 1
y
Then 

j
A  Ax iˆ  Ay ˆj
i
x
k Magnitude + Sign Unit vector
z
 3-4 Unit Vectors
Multiplying unit vectors by scalars: the multiplier
changes the length, and the sign indicates the
direction.
Dot Product or Scalar
Product
The dot or scalar product of two vectors A and B,
denoted by A.B (read A dot B) , is defined as the
product of the magnitude of A and B and the cosine of
the angle ϴ between them .
In symbols ,
Note : A.B is a scalar and not a vector.
The following laws are valid
Cross or Vector Product
The Cross or Vector Product of and B is a vector C=
x B (read A cross B). The magnitude of AxB is
defined as the product of the magnitude of A and B
and the sine of the angle ϴ between them .
The direction of the vector C= x B is perpendicular to
the plane of A and B such that A,B and C form a
right-handed system .
In symbols,
Where n is a unit vector indicating the direction of x B .
The following Laws are Valid:
3-5 Position, Displacement, Velocity, and
Acceleration Vectors

Position vector rf points from the origin to the location in question.


The displacement vector  r points from the
original position to the final position.
3-5 Position, Displacement, Velocity, and
Acceleration Vectors
Average velocity vector:
(3-3)

So 
vav is in the same
.
r
direction as

Solve Exe.6
 3-5 Position, Displacement, Velocity, and
Acceleration Vectors
Average acceleration vector is in the direction of the change in velocity:

Solve Exe. 7
 Summary of Chapter 3
• Scalar: number, with appropriate units
• Vector: quantity with magnitude and direction
• Vector components: Ax = A cos θ, By = B sin θ
• Magnitude: A = (Ax2 + Ay2)1/2
• Direction: θ = tan-1 (Ay / Ax)
• Graphical vector addition: Place tail of second at
head of first; sum points from tail of first to head of
last
 Summary of Chapter 3
• Component method: add components of
individual vectors, then find magnitude and
direction
• Unit vectors are dimensionless and of unit length
• Position vector points from origin to location
• Displacement vector points from original position
to final position
• Velocity vector points in direction of motion
• Acceleration vector points in direction of change of
motion
Problem 5
The Press box at a baseball park is 32.0 ft above the ground. A reporter in
the press box looks at an angle of 15.0° below the horizontal to see second
base. What is the horizontal distance from the press box to second base?
Answer: 119 ft

Problem 6
You are driving up a long, inclined road. After 1.2 mi you notice that the
signs along the roadside indicate that your elevation has increased by 530
ft. (a) What is the angle of the road above the horizontal? (b) How far do
you have to drive to gain an additional 150 ft of elevation?

Answer: (a) 4.8° (b) 0.34 mi

Problem 8
Find the x and y components of a position vector r of magnitude r = 75 m,
if its angle relative to the x axis is (a) 35.0° and (b) 65.0°.

Answer: (a) rx = 61 m ; ry = 43 m (b) rx = 32 m ; ry = 68 m

Problem 14
You drive a car 680 ft to the east, then 340 ft to the north. (a) What is the magnitude of
your displacement? (b) Using a sketch, estimate the direction of your displacement. (c)
Verify your estimate in part (b) with a numerical calculation of the direction.

Answer: r = 760 ft ϑ = 27⁰ north of east

Problem 17

A whale comes to the surface to breathe and then dives at an angle of 20.0° below the
horizontal. If the whale continues in a straight line for 150 m, (a) how deep it is, and (b)
how far has it travelled horizontally?

Answer: rx = 51 m ; ry = 140 m
Problem 31
Find the direction and magnitude of the vectors,
• A = (5.0 m ) x + (-2 m) y
• B = ( -2.0 m ) x +( 5.0 m ) y

Problem 32
Find the direction and magnitude of the vectors,
•A = ( 25 m ) x + ( -12 m ) y
•B = ( 2.0 m ) x + ( 15 m ) y
•A + B

Problem 33:
For vectors given in problem 32, express
(a) A – B and
(b) B – A
in unit vector notation.