Vectors and

Vectors
Addition
 Learning Objectives

At the end of this 20-minute lesson, the

students shall be able to:
• Differentiate between scalar and vector
quantities.
• Identify vector components (magnitude
and direction).
• Represent vectors graphically.
• Find the resultant of vectors through
parallelogram method.
• How far have you traveled when going to
school? How long does is it take you then?
• Kindly describe your route from home to
school.
Scalar vs. Vector Quantity
• Quantities in physics may either be scalar or
vector.
• Scalar Quantities are those that can be described
completely by their magnitudes and appropriate
units. Examples of scalar quantities are mass,
temperature, speed and time.
• Quantities that are completely described by their
magnitudes, appropriate units, and directions are
called vectors quantities. Typical examples are
force, displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
If I have asked you to walk 3 meters to the
East, and 2 meters to the West
subsequently:

• What is the total distance of your travel?

• What is your displacement?
If I have asked you to walk 3 meters to the
East, and 2 meters to the West
subsequently:

• What is the total distance of your travel? 5 meters

• What is your displacement? 1 meter to my East
 Vector Quantities

• Displacement • Magnetic Field

• Velocity • Angular Velocity
• Acceleration • Torque
• Force • Angular Momentum
• Momentum • Gravitational Field
• Impulse • Velocity of Fluid Particles
• Weight • Magnetic Flux
• Tension • Electromagnetic Wave
• Electric Field Vector
 Vectors Representation

• A vector quantities could be represented

by an arrow.
• The length of the tail represents the
magnitude, while the arrow head points
out the direction.
• The symbol for vector quantities is an
italicized capital letter in boldface or with
an arrow on top. For examples, force may
be represented as F or F
Direction
4 N, 50 degrees N of E

1 N = 1 inch
2 N, 20 degrees E of N

1 N = 1 cm
 Try this out!
• 3 Newtons, 50° North of East
• 2 Newtons, 21° South of East
• 4 Newtons, 30.5° West of South
3 Newtons, 50° North of East

1 N = 1 inch
2 Newtons, 21° South of East

1 N = 1 inch
4 Newtons, 30.5° West of South

1 N = 1 inch
 Vector Addition
• The sum of two or more vector
quantities is called resultant vectors,
or simply resultant.
• When there are two vector quantities
pointing at the same direction, how are
you supposed to calculate their resultant?
• When there are two vector quantities
pointing at the opposite directions, how
are you supposed to calculate their
resultant?
 Methods of Vector
Addition
• There are two general methods by which
vectors may be added: graphical and
analytical.
• The Graphical method is further subdivided
into Parallelogram and Polygon
methods.
• The Analytical Methods of adding vectors
is divided in two: Using the laws of sines
and cosines and the component
methods.
Parallelogram Method
• The steps in determining the resultant of two vectors
using the parallelogram methods
1. Using a suitable scale, draw the arrows representing
the vectors from a common point (a).
2. Construct a parallelogram using the two vectors as
sides (b)
3. Draw the diagonal of the parallelogram from the
common point. This represent the resultant R (c)
4. Measure the length of the arrow representing the
resultant, and from the scale used, determine its
magnitude.
5. Determine the direction of the resultant vector using a
protractor.
4 N, 50 degrees N of E
3 N, 20 degrees S of E

1 N = 1 cm
4 N, 50 degrees N of E
3 N, 20 degrees S of E
4 N, 50 degrees N of E
3 N, 20 degrees S of E
4 N, 50 degrees N of E
3 N, 20 degrees S of E
4 N, 50 degrees N of E
3 N, 20 degrees S of E
Thank you for Listening and
Have a Great Day Ahead!
Parallelogram Method

• The parallelogram method may also be used to add

more than two vectors. However, the process is tedious.
1. After drawing the resultant of the first to two vectors.
Construct a second parallelogram using this resultant and
the third vectors as sides.
2. Draw the diagonal of the parallelogram from the common
point. This is now the new resultant.
3. The process is continued until all vector have been
added.
4. The magnitude of the final resultant is determined from
the scale used. The direction is measured by a protractor.
 Polygon Method

The polygon method is otherwise known as the tip-to-tail

method. This method is more convenient than the parallelogram
method when more than two vectors are to be added graphically.
The following are the steps to be followed:

1. Represent each vector quantity by an arrow drawn to

scale.
2. Starting from the origin, draw the first vector on the
rectangular coordinate system accounting properly its
direction.
3. Connect the tail of the second vector to the head of the
first vector. Then, connect the tail of the third vector to the
head of the second vector. You may continue drawing the
vectors head to tail until you draw the last vector to be
added.
4. The resultant will close the figure formed by connecting the
vectors. This resultant is drawn from the tail of the first vector to
the head of the last vector.

5. Measure the length of the arrow representing the resultant.

Determine the magnitude of the resultant from the scale used.

6. Use a protractor to determine the direction of the resultant.

If there are only two vectors to be added, the polygon

that will be formed is triangle. In this case the polygon method is
otherwise known as the triangle method.
 Practice Exercise 2.2

• A balloon is rising vertically at 4.0 m/s.

Wind is blowing from east to west at
3.0m/s. Find the resultant velocity of the
balloon.
 Sample Problem 2.2

• Two forces A and B are acting in an object.

A is 3.0N directed north and B is 4.0N, 30°
west of north. Find the resultant force
acting in the object using the polygon
method.
 Sample Problem 2.3

• Two forces A and B are acting on a

particle. Vector A is 3.0N directed north
and B is 2.0 N, 30° north of east. Find the
resultant forcing using the polygon
method.
 Vector A = 3.0N directed North
Vector B = 2.0 N, 30° North of East
 Vector A = 3.0N directed North
Vector B = 2.0 N, 30° North of East
 Vector A = 3.0N directed North
Vector B = 2.0 N, 30° North of East
 Vector A = 3.0N directed North
Vector B = 2.0 N, 30° North of East
 Vector A = 3.0N directed North
Vector B = 2.0 N, 30° North of East

R = 4.25 N, 66° N of E
Enhancement Activity 2.4
• You are out for an early morning walk. You walk
5.0 m south and 12.0 m east. Then you decided
to walk farther and go 4.0 m southwest and 6.0m
west. How far are you now from your starting
point and in what direction?
• Would you have arrived at the same spot if you
had you taken steps in this order? 12.0 m
east,4.0 m southwest, 5.0 m south, and 6.0m
west? Use the polygon method to determine
your answer.
Enhancement Activity 2.5

An object is being acted upon by the

following forces:
• F1= 4.0N, 20 degrees east of north;
• F2= 6.0N, northeast; and
• F3= 8.0N, 35 degrees south of west

Find the resultant using the polygon method.

NOW IT IS ABOUT TIME TO ADD
VECTORS ANALYTICALLY

Prepare your calculator, sheets of paper, pen, whiteboard, and

marker.
Laws of Sines and Cosines

Kindy check our in-call messages and open the

link for your reference.

http://www2.clarku.edu/faculty/djoyce/trig/
formulas.html
Using the Laws of Sines and
Cosines

• The steps in vector addition using the laws of

sines and cosines are the same with the
parallelogram method and polygon method,
except that instead of determining the
magnitudes and direction of the resultant vector
by actual measurement, they are computed
using these laws.
 Sample Problem

A balloon is rising vertically at 4.0 m/s.

Wind is blowing from east to west at 3.0m/s.
Find the resultant velocity of the balloon.
If your vectors create a Right Triangle

Use the Pythagorean Formula in

determining the magnitude of the resultant.

c=
R=
=
R = 5 m/s
If your vectors create a Right Triangle

Use the Arc Tangent Formula in determining

the direction of the resultant.
tanθ =
θ=
θ=
θ = 37º
ANY QUESTION STEM 12?
WHAT IF THE TRIANGLE IS
NOT RIGHT?
Laws of Sines and Cosines
 Law of Cosines
• The law of cosines generalizes the Pythagorean
formula to all triangles. It says that c2, the square of
one side of the triangle, is equal to a2 + b2, the sum of
the squares of the other two sides, minus 2ab cos C,
twice their product times the cosine of the opposite
angle. When the angle C is right, it becomes the
Pythagorean formula.
- 2ab cos C
• C represents the angle which is opposite to the
resultant.
• c represents the magnitude of the resultant.
 Sample Problem

Two forces A and B are acting on a

particle. Vector A is 3.0 N directed north and
B is 4.0 N, 30° north of east. Find the
resultant force using the laws of sines and
cosines.
 3.0 N directed North
4.0 N, 30° North of East.
 3.0 N directed North
4.0 N, 30° North of East.
 3.0 N directed North
4.0 N, 30° North of East.
 3.0 N directed North
4.0 N, 30° North of East.
 3.0 N directed North
4.0 N, 30° North of East.

R
A
 3.0 N directed North
4.0 N, 30° North of East.

R
A
 3.0 N directed North
4.0 N, 30° North of East.

R
A
- 2ab cos C
R - 2ab cos C
R - 2(3)(4) cos 120º
R 6.08 N
 Law of Sines
• The Law of Sines is the relationship between the
sides and angles of non-right (oblique) triangles.
• Simply, it states that the ratio of the length of a side
of a triangle to the sine of the angle opposite that side
is the same for all sides and angles in a given triangle.
Sample Problem 2.5
 Law of Sines
=
6.08 sin = 4 sin 120°
6.08 sin = 3.46
=
sin = 0.57
= 0.57
= 35°
 Final Answer

• 6.08 N, 35° E of N or
• 6.08 N, 55° N of E
• Two forces A and B are acting on an
object. A is 5.0 N, 20 degrees West of
North and B is 7.0 N, 30 degrees East of
North. Find the resultant force acting on
the object using the laws of sines and
cosines.
5.0 N, 20 degrees West of North
7.0 N, 30 degrees East of North
5.0 N, 20 degrees West of North
7.0 N, 30 degrees East of North
5.0 N, 20 degrees West of North
7.0 N, 30 degrees East of North
5.0 N, 20 degrees West of North
7.0 N, 30 degrees East of North
5.0 N, 20 degrees West of North
7.0 N, 30 degrees East of North
5.0 N, 20 degrees West of North
7.0 N, 30 degrees East of North

A
5.0 N, 20 degrees West of North
7.0 N, 30 degrees East of North
5.0 N, 20 degrees West of North
7.0 N, 30 degrees East of North

Angle C = 130° R

A
 Magnitude

- 2ab cos C
R - 2ab cos C
R - 2(5)(7) cos 130º
R 10.91 N
5.0 N, 20 degrees West of North
7.0 N, 30 degrees East of North

B= 7N

R = 10.91 N
Angle C = 130°

A=5N
 Direction-Degree
=
10.91 sin = 7 sin 130°
10.91 sin = 5.36
=
sin = 0.49
= 0.49
= 29° E of N
 Final Resultant:
Magnitude and Direction

• = 10.91 N, 29° East of North

• R = 10.91 N, 9° East of North
 Practice Example 2.5
• Displacement vector A is 4.5 km north whereas
displacement vector B is 3.0km, 50° north of west. Find
the resultant displacement using the laws of sines and
cosines.

• Special Cases
1. For two vectors acting in the same direction
The angle between the two vectors is zero. The magnitude of
the resultant is equal to the sum of the magnitude of the vectors.
The direction of the resultant is the same as the direction of the
vectors.
2. For two vectors acting in opposite direction
The angle between the two vectors is 180°. The magnitude of the
resultant is the difference between the magnitude of the vectors.
The direction of the resultant is the direction of the larger vector.

3. For two vectors that are perpendicular to each other

The magnitude of the resultant can be obtained by the Pythagorean
theorem. The direction of the resultant can be found using any
trigonometric function of the right triangle.
 Sample Problem 2.6
1. Modern aircraft have entertainment system in
front of each seat that sometimes show air velocity
and tailwind or headwind. Air velocity is the speed
of the aircraft through air. Tailwind is wind velocity
in the direction of travel of the aircraft, while
headwind is the wind velocity opposite the
direction of travel. Ground velocity is the vector
sum of air velocity and tailwind or headwind.
Suppose that air velocity is 950km/h east and wind
is blowing at 20km/h. What is the ground velocity if
it is a tailwind. What is the ground velocity of if it is
a headwind?
2. To go to a nearby convenience store from
her dormitory, a student walk 12.0m north
and 5.0m east. What is the student's
displacement from her dormitory? Using
Pythagorean Theorem.
 Practice Exercise 2.6

1. Two forces, one twice as great as the other, have a

resultant of 60N directed north. Find the forces (a) if
they are acting in the same direction and (b) if they are
oppositely directed.
2. A particle is being pulled by two forces F1= 3.0N east
and F2= 4.0N south. Find the resultant force acting on
the particle.
 Nutshell

• The resultant of two vector depends on the

angle between them. As the angle between two
vectors increases, the magnitude of the resultant
decrease. The maximum magnitude of the
resultant is obtained if the vector are acting in
the same direction; that is, the angle between
them in zero. The minimum magnitude of the
resultant is obtained when they are oppositely
directed. In other words, the angle between
them is 180°
 Sample Problem 2.7

• Two forces of 40.0N act on a particle. (a)

find the maximum and minimum
magnitude of the resultant of these two
forces. (b) What is the magnitude of the
resultant if the angle between them is 45°?
Practice Exercise 2.7

• Two vector have magnitude of 35° units

and 63.0 units, respectively. (a) Find the
maximum and minimum magnitude of the
resultant. (b) What must be the angle
between the two vectors to have a
resultant of magnitude 85.6 units?
 Resolution of Vectors
• A single vector is usually divided into two vectors called
components that are perpendicular to each other. The
process of splitting the vectors into components is called
resolution. The components are normally along the X
and Y axis of the rectangular coordinate system.
• The component along the x axis and y axis is called the
horizontal component while the component along y
axis is called the vertical component. The represent the
horizontal and the vertical components of a Vector, Vx
and Vy will be used, respectively. In general
VX= Vcosθ Vy= Vsinθ
provide that theta is measured with respect to the x
axis. The sign of the horizontal and vertical components
of the given vector must also be taken into coordination,
depending on the quadrant where the vector lies.
 Sample Proble 2.8
• Juan walks 5.0m, 37⁰ north of
west. Find the (a) horizontal and
(b) vertical components of this
displacement.
 Practice Exercise 2.8

• Vector A of magnitude 5.0 units has a

horizontal components of 2.0units. (a) Find
the angle that vector A makes with the
horizontal. Also, (b) determine the vertical
component of vector A.
 Component Method
The component method is generally used when more
than two vectors are to be added. The steps involved is
adding vectors using the components method are as follows:
1. Resolve the given vectors into its horizontal and vertical
components.
2. Get the algebraic sum of all the horizontal components,
ΣVX. Then, get the algebraic sum of all the vertical
components, ΣVy. These sums represent the horizontal
component and the vertical component of the resultant,
respectively.
ΣVx= Vx1+Vx2+Vx3+....+Vxn
ΣVy= Vy1+Vy2+Vy3+....+Vyn
3. Since the vertical and horizontal components are perpendicular
to each other. The magnitudes of the resultant may be calculated
using the Pythagorean theorem.
R=
From the signs of the sum of the horizontal components and the
vertical components, determine the quadrant where the resultants
is. This will indicate the direction of the resultant.

4. Solve for the angle θ that the resultant makes with the horizontal.
θ = arctan or θ=
 Sample Practice 2.9

• Ana runs 4.00 m, 40.0⁰ North of East;

2.00 m, East; 5.20 m, 30⁰ South of West;
and 6.50m South before stopping for water
break. Find the resultant displacement
from where she is started.
 VECTORS Horizontal components Vertical components

A = 4.00 m, 40.0⁰ North of A= +4.00m (cos 40⁰) A= +4.00m (sin 40⁰)

East + 3.06m + 2.57

B = 2.00m East B= +2.00m B= 0

C = 5.20m, 30⁰ South of C= -5.20m(cos 30°) C= -5.20m(sin 30°)

West - 4.50m - 2.60m

D = 6.50m South D= 0 D= -6.50m

Σdx = +0.56 m Σdy = -6.53 m

• In the cartesian plane, plot the summation
vectors of the two components.
• Use the Pythagorean and Arc Tangent
Formula to determine the magnitude and
direction of the resultant respectively.
Σx = 0.56 m

Σy = -6.53 m
If your vectors create a Right Triangle

Use the Pythagorean Formula in

determining the magnitude of the resultant.

c=
R=
=
R = 6.55 m
If your vectors create a Right Triangle

Use the Arc Tangent Formula in determining

the direction of the resultant.
tanθ =
θ=
θ=
θ = 85° S of E
Should you have questions regarding
vectors addition, I am just one chat away.

-mladelacruz-