Physics course – Foundation II

PH003
Fall- 2021

Lecture 1
By :
Dr. Nader Shehata

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 Today

• Scalars.

• Vectors.

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 Vectors/Scalars
•A vector quantity has both magnitude (value) and
direction “Ex: displacement, velocity, acceleration, and
force”.

•A scalar is completely specified by only a magnitude

(value) “Ex: distance, energy, mass, time, temperature,
and speed!”

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 Vectors/Scalars
Example : Displacement / Distance

Distance : 5 km ( Scalar)

Displacement : 3 km from

(1) to (2) (Vector)

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 Vectors/Scalars
Example : An object moves along the grid through
the points A, B, C, D, and E.
(a) Find the distance covered by the moving object.
(b) Find the magnitude of the displacement of the object.

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Vectors/Scalars

Distance : 6+2+3+1= 12 m

Displacement :

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 Vectors/Scalars
Example : Velocity / Speed

• The magnitude of the baseball's velocity is

the speed of the baseball — for example,
20 meters/second.

• The direction of the baseball’s velocity is

the direction of its motion at a particular
instant—for example, “up” or “to the
right” or “west” or “in the + y direction.”
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 Vector Representation
The length of the arrow indicates the magnitude of
the vector.

Vectors are written with an arrow over a boldface

letter ( Ex: ).

The magnitude of 𝑨 is written as A or ||.

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 Vector Representation
Mathematical operations can be performed with
vectors

A vector is multiplied by a scalar = a vector that is parallel

to the original vector but with a different length. 9
 Vector Representation
Two vectors are equal if they have the same
magnitude and the same direction.

 Any vector can be moved parallel to itself without

being affected.

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 Vector Representation
 Two vectors are parallel if they have the same
direction.

 Two vectors are opposite if they have the opposite

directions (angle between the two is 180°).

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 Position Vector
A position in space can also be considered to be a
vector, called a position vector, pointing from an
origin to that location.

In three dimensions a vector is a triple of numbers .

Quantities like the position of an object can be
represented as vectors:

In two dimensions a vector is a double of numbers .

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 Position Vector
Example:

 You started at the origin and walked 4 meters along

the x axis, then 2 meters parallel to the z axis, then
climbed a ladder so you were 3 meters above the
ground (in y direction) .

= ⟨4,3,2⟩

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 Adding Vectors
Draw the first vector.

Draw the second vector starting at the tip of the first

vector.
Continue to draw vectors “tip-to-tail”

The sum is drawn from the tail of the first vector to

the tip of the last vector.

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Adding Vectors

Triangle method
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Adding Vectors

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 Subtracting Vectors
 The negative of a vector is just a vector going the
opposite way
 To subtract a vector, you add its opposite

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 Important notes
 The negative of the vector is defined as the vector
that gives zero when added to the original vector.

 Two vectors are negative if they have the same

magnitude but are 180°apart (opposite directions

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Test your knowledge

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 Test your knowledge

⃗
𝑟 2 + 𝑟⃗ =⃗
𝑟1

⃗
𝑟 1 +⃗
𝑟 2= ⃗𝑟 ⃗
𝑟 2 +⃗
𝑟 1= ⃗𝑟
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Test your knowledge

𝒓 + ⃗𝒔 =𝒕⃗
⃗
a, b, and e
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 Multiplying or Dividing a Vector by a Scalar
• The result of the multiplication or division is a
vector

• The magnitude of the vector is multiplied or divided

by the scalar

• If the scalar is positive, the direction of the result is

the same as of the original vector

• If the scalar is negative, the direction of the result is

opposite that of the original vector 22
Resultant of two vectors algebraically
Parallelogram Law of Vector Addition

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Resultant of two vectors algebraically
Parallelogram Law of Vector Addition

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 Example
Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant if
vectors A and B are perpendicular to each other.

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 Subtracting Vectors
To subtract a vector, you add its opposite

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 Components of Vectors
The x- and y-components of a vector are its
projections.

 Calculation of the x- and y-components involves

trigonometry along the x- and y-axes.

The components of a vector are the projections of

the vector onto the coordinate axes. 27
 Vector from Components

If you know the components, you can find the vector.
Use the Pythagorean Theorem for the magnitude:

Use the tan-1 to find the direction:

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 Examples
A vector of length of 2.5 m makes an angle of 38o with
the y axis. Find the components of the vector.
 Examples
Three forces acting on a body as
shown in the figure.

F1=65 N, F2=50N, and F3=30N

Required :

(1)The x-component and y-component of the net

force (Rx, and Ry)
(2) The magnitude and direction of the net force.
 Solution
(1)Find the components of each force
 Solution
(1)Find the component of the net force
 Solution
(2)Find the net force magnitude and
direction
 Unit Vectors

• 

A unit vector is a dimensionless

vector with a magnitude of value 1 34
 Unit Vectors

• 

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 Adding vectors again..

• 

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 Example:
• 

A 3.0 kg mass undergoes an acceleration

given by a = m/s2. Find the force F
and its magnitude.

Note :

F=ma

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• 

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 Examples
Three forces acting on a body as :

Forces in N
Required :
(1) The magnitude and direction of the net
force.
(2) The magnitude and direction of the
acceleration if the body mass is 10 kg.
Solution
Solution