VECTORS

Level 1 Physics
 Objectives and Essential
Questions
Objectives Essential Questions
Distinguish between basic What is a vector quantity?
trigonometric functions (SOH What is a scalar quantity?
CAH TOA) Give examples of each.
Distinguish between vector
and scalar quantities
Add vectors using graphical
and analytical methods
 SCALAR
A SCALAR quantity Scalar
is any quantity in Example Magnitude
physics that has
Speed 35 m/s
MAGNITUDE ONLY

Distance 25 meters

Number value
with units Age 16 years
 VECTOR
A VECTOR quantity Vector Magnitude and
is any quantity in Example Direction
physics that has Velocity 35 m/s, North
BOTH MAGNITUDE
and DIRECTION Acceleration 10 m/s2, South

Force 20 N, East

r r r r
x, v , a, F An arrow above the symbol
illustrates a vector quantity.
It indicates MAGNITUDE and
DIRECTION
 VECTOR APPLICATION
ADDITION: When two (2) vectors point in the SAME direction, simply
add them together.

EXAMPLE: A man walks 46.5 m east, then another 20 m east.

Calculate his displacement relative to where he started.

46.5 m, E + 20 m, E

MAGNITUDE relates to the

size of the arrow and
66.5 m, E DIRECTION relates to the
way the arrow is drawn
 VECTOR APPLICATION
SUBTRACTION: When two (2) vectors point in the OPPOSITE direction,
simply subtract them.

EXAMPLE: A man walks 46.5 m east, then another 20 m west.

Calculate his displacement relative to where he started.

46.5 m, E
-

20 m, W

26.5 m, E
 NON-COLLINEAR VECTORS
When two (2) vectors are PERPENDICULAR to each other, you must
use the PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM

FINISH
Example: A man travels 120 km east
then 160 km north. Calculate his the hypotenuse is
called the RESULTANT
resultant displacement.

160 km, N
c 2 a2 b2 c a2 b2 VERTICAL
COMPONENT

c resul tan t 120 160

2 2

c 200km S
R 120 km, E
T
T
A

HORIZONTAL COMPONENT
 WHAT ABOUT DIRECTION?
In the example, DISPLACEMENT asked for and since it is a VECTOR quantity,
we need to report its direction.

W of N E of N
N of E
N of W
N of E
W E
S of W S of E
NOTE: When drawing a right triangle that
conveys some type of motion, you MUST
W of S E of S
draw your components HEAD TO TOE.
S
 NEED A VALUE ANGLE!
Just putting N of E is not good enough (how far north of east ?).
We need to find a numeric value for the direction.

To find the value of the

angle we use a Trig
function called TANGENT.
200 km
160 km, N
opposite side 160
Tan 1.333
N of E adjacent side 120
120 km, E Tan1 (1.333) 53.1o

So the COMPLETE final answer is : 200 km, 53.1 degrees North of East

 What are your missing
components?
Suppose a person walked 65 m, 25 degrees East of North. What
were his horizontal and vertical components?
The goal: ALWAYS MAKE A RIGHT
H.C. = ?
TRIANGLE!

V.C = ? To solve for components, we often use

25 65 m the trig functions since and cosine.
adjacent side opposite side
cosine sine
hypotenuse hypotenuse
adj hyp cos opp hyp sin

adj V .C. 65 cos 25 58.91m, N

opp H .C. 65 sin 25 27.47m, E
 Example
A bear, searching for food wanders 35 meters east then 20 meters north.
Frustrated, he wanders another 12 meters west then 6 meters south. Calculate
the bear's displacement.
23 m, E
- =

12 m, W
- =
14 m, N
6 m, S
20 m, N
R 142 232 26.93m
14
35 m, E R 14 m, N Tan .6087
23

Tan 1 (0.6087) 31.3
23 m, E
The Final Answer: 26.93 m, 31.3 degrees North of East
 Example
A boat moves with a velocity of 15 m/s, N in a river which
flows with a velocity of 8.0 m/s, west. Calculate the
boat's resultant velocity with respect to due north.

Rv 82 152 17 m / s
8.0 m/s, W
8
15 m/s, N
Tan 0.5333
Rv 15
Tan 1 (0.5333) 28.1

The Final Answer : 17 m/s, @ 28.1 degrees West of North

 Example
A plane moves with a velocity of 63.5 m/s at 32 degrees South of East. Calculate
the plane's horizontal and vertical velocity components.

adjacent side opposite side

cosine sine
H.C. =? hypotenuse hypotenuse
32 adj hyp cos opp hyp sin
V.C. = ?

63.5 m/s
adj H .C. 63.5 cos 32 53.85 m / s, E
opp V .C. 63.5 sin 32 33.64 m / s, S
 Example
A storm system moves 5000 km due east, then shifts course at 40
degrees North of East for 1500 km. Calculate the storm's
resultant displacement.
adjacent side opposite side
cosine sine
1500 km hypotenuse hypotenuse
V.C.
adj hyp cos opp hyp sin
40
5000 km, E H.C.
adj H .C. 1500 cos 40 1149.1 km, E
opp V .C. 1500 sin 40 964.2 km, N

5000 km + 1149.1 km = 6149.1 km R 6149.12 964.2 2 6224.2 km

964.2
Tan 0.157
6149.1
R
964.2 km Tan1 (0.157) 8.92 o

6149.1 km The Final Answer: 6224.2 km @ 8.92
degrees, North of East