PHYSICS 71 – ELEMENTARY PHYSICS I

CHAPTER 2 VECTOR QUANTITIES

LECTURE
Vector Quantities
02

University of the Philippines Diliman

College of Science
National Institute of Physics
Previous Lecture
§ Significant Figures: Final answers should be
expressed with number of significant
figures of the given
quantities.

§ Scientific Notation:
§ Conversion of Units: Know the connecting
conversion factors
§ Dimension Analysis:
1. Neglect/remove constants.
2. Arrange equation according to the target variable.
3. Plug in the given units of other variables.

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 2

Review
1. In a foreign land, 1 boom = 10.95 meters and
1 tarat =0.53 seconds. What is the acceleration
20.0 m/s2 in units of boom/(tarat)2.

boom
ANSWER: 0.51
tarat !

2. Determine the unit of the quantity C in the equation

1 𝐵
𝐴=
2 𝐶
where A is in [m/s] and B is in [m].

ANSWER: [𝑠 ! ]
Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 3
 Objectives
At the end of this session, you should be able to:
□ Differentiate vector and scalar quantities.
□ Express a vector from magnitude-direction
form to component form and vice versa.
□ Perform addition of vectors.

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 4

Scalar vs Vector
§ A scalar is a quantity that is described by its
magnitude: a number and its corresponding
unit
EXAMPLE

mass = 5 kg
time = 60 s

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 5

Scalar vs Vector
§ A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude
and direction

~x1 = 45 m to the east

~x2 = 45 m, 26 north of east
magnitude direction

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 6

Vector Notation
§ Handwritten notation:

v⃗ v⃑
§ Typeset:

𝑉 𝑽
Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 7
Vector Representation
1. Bearing N

y
W E
2. Components
S

Bearing
§ Magnitude
§ Direction angle 45!
x
Displacement vector
d~ = 4 m, 45 north of east
d~ = 4 m, 45 with respect to the horizontal

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 8

Vector Magnitude
§ Magnitude of vector 𝐴⃗

𝐴⃗ 𝑜𝑟 𝐴

EXAMPLE
y N

W E
Given the following vectors:
S
~x1 = 45 m to the east 𝑥!
~x2 = 20 m, 26 north of east
Corresponding magnitudes
|~x1 | = 45 m x
|~x2 | = 20 m 𝑥"
Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 9
Vector Addition

⃗ ⃗
𝐶 =𝐴+𝐵
§ 𝐶⃗ is the vector sum or resultant
§ Graphical way: “tail-to-head method”

~
B

+ = ? ~
A
~
C
~
A + ~
B ~
= C

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 10

Negative of a Vector

§ Negative of a vector is just a vector with the same

magnitude but opposite in direction
§ This means we can perform vector subtraction.

Source: Young and Freedman, University Physics, 13th ed.

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 11

Vector Addition

𝐴⃗ + 𝐵 = 𝐶⃗
is not the same as

𝐴+𝐵 =𝐶
§ Treat vectors as quantities with a different arithmetic
from scalar quantities.

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 12

Components of Vectors
§ Unit vectors: vectors of magnitude 1
§ 2D:

y 𝚤̂
unit vector along the x-axis
𝚥̂

𝚤̂
x 𝚥̂
unit vector along the y-axis

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 13

Components of Vectors
§ Unit vectors: vectors of magnitude 1
§ 3D:

y
𝚤̂
unit vector along the x-axis
𝚥̂
x
𝚥̂
𝑘, 𝚤̂ unit vector along the y-axis

z
𝑘$
unit vector along the z-axis

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 14

Components of Vectors
§ 2D: Project the vector to the x and y axes
y
𝐴⃗

𝐴!
𝜃 𝐴$
x
𝐴"
~ cos ✓
Ax = |A|
~ sin ✓
𝐴#
Ay = |A|
~ = Ax î + Ay ĵ
A
Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 15
Components of Vectors

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 16

Components of Vectors
EXAMPLE

§ The initial velocity of a human cannonball is

25 m/s directed 34.1o from the horizontal.
What are the x- and y-components of this velocity?

Definition (Velocity and Speed)

Velocity is the time rate of change of displacement of
an object. It is a vector. Speed is the magnitude of
velocity. It is a scalar.

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 17

Components of Vectors
EXAMPLE

The initial velocity of a human cannonball is

25 m/s directed 34.1o from the horizontal.
What are the x- and y-components of this velocity?

𝑣" = 𝑣 cos 𝜃
𝑣" = 25 m/s cos 34.1∘
𝒗𝒙 = 𝟐𝟏 𝐦/𝐬
𝑣! = 𝑣 sin 𝜃
𝑣! = 25 m/s sin 34.1∘
𝒗𝒚 = 𝟏𝟒 𝐦/𝐬

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 18

Components of Vectors
§ Can we get the magnitude and angle from the
components? YES!
y
𝐴⃗
𝐴= 𝐴!" + 𝐴!#

𝐴! $%
𝑂𝑝𝑝 $%
𝐴#
𝜃 𝜃 = tan
𝐴𝑑𝑗
= tan
𝐴"
x
𝐴"
TRY THIS: The initial velocity of a human cannonball has x-
and y-components of 20.7 m/s and 14.0 m/s, respectively.
What is the speed of the object? At what angle from the
horizontal was the human cannonball launched?

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 19

 Components of vectors
nts of vectors
Components of Vectors
Solution:

SOLUTION q
v = vx2 + vy2
q q
v = vx2 + vy2
= (20.7 m/s)2 + (14.0 m/s)2
q
= (20.7 m/s)2 + (14.0 m/s)2
v = 25.0 m/s.
v = 25.0 m/s.
✓ ◆
1 Ay
✓ ◆ ✓ = tan
Ay Ax
✓ = tan 1 ✓ ◆
Ax 1 14.0 m/s
✓ ◆ = tan
20.7 m/s
1 14.0 m/s
= tan
20.7 m/s
✓ = 34.1 .
✓ = 34.1 .
Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 20
Lecture 2 Au
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Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 21
o the first step?
Vector Addition in Component Form
EXAMPLE

Given
𝑃 = 5.0 km, 45∘ N of E
𝑄 = 3.0 km, 30. ° N of W, and
𝑅 = 4.0 km, 60.∘ N of E.
Find 𝑃 + 𝑄 − 𝑅 in unit-vector form.
Use the component method.

ANSWER

𝑃 + 𝑄 − 𝑅 = −1.1𝚤̂ + 1.6𝚥̂ km
Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 22
Vector Addition in Component Form
§ The direction of this vector can either
be expressed as,
N

y
W E
𝜃
S degress North of East

or

𝜃 𝜃 − 90
x degrees East of North

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 23

Vector Addition in Component Form
EXAMPLE

Given
𝑃 = 1𝚤̂ + 2𝚥̂ + 3𝑘B
𝑄 = 1𝚤̂ − 2𝚥̂ + 3𝑘B
𝑅 = 1𝚤̂ + 2𝚥̂ − 3𝑘B
§ Solve 2𝑃 + 𝑄 - 𝑅
SOLUTION
= 2(1𝑖B + 2𝑗G + 3𝑘G ) + 1𝑖B − 2𝑗G + 3𝑘G − 1𝑖B + 2𝑗G − 3𝑘G
Add same components (𝑖B to 𝑖B , 𝑗G to 𝑗G, 𝑘G to 𝑘G )
= (2+1- 1) 𝑖B +(4-2-2) 𝑗G+(6+3+3) 𝑘G
§ ANSWER: 2𝑃 + 𝑄 - 𝑅 = 2𝑖B + 12𝑘G
Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 24
Vector Addition in Component Form
EXAMPLE

Given
𝑃 = 1𝚤̂ + 2𝚥̂ + 3𝑘B
𝑄 = 1𝚤̂ − 2𝚥̂ + 3𝑘B
𝑅 = 1𝚤̂ + 2𝚥̂ − 3𝑘B
§ Solve 𝑃 + 𝑄 + 𝑅
SOLUTION
𝑃 = 1" + 2" + 3" = 14
𝑄 = 1" + 2" + 3" = 14
𝑅 = 1" + 2" + 3" = 14
§ ANSWER: 𝑃 + 𝑄 + 𝑅 = 3√14

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 25

Vector Addition
EXAMPLE

§ A cross-country skier skis 1.00 km north and then

2.00 km east on a horizontal snowfield. How far and in
what direction is she from the starting point?

SOLUTION
§ Draw the displacement vectors involved and use tail-
to-head method.

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 26

Vector Addition
SOLUTION

The two vectors and the resultant vector form a right

triangle. Use trigonometric identities to solve for the
magnitude and direction of the resultant vector.
Source: Young and Freedman, University Physics, 13th ed.

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 27

Vector Addition
§ Solve for the magnitude

1.00 km ! + 2.00 km ! = 2.24 km

§ Solve for the direction

2.00 km
tan 𝜙 =
1.00 km
𝜙 = 63.4∘

§ We can then describe the direction as 63.4o

east of north.

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 28

Components of Vectors
§ 3D: Project the vector to
the x, y and z axes
y
§ Magnitude of a 3D vector:

𝐴= 𝐴"# + 𝐴"$ + 𝐴%"

3D

2
𝑨!" = 𝐴# /̂ + 𝐴$ 1̂ + 𝐴% 𝒌 𝐴"

~
A
𝐴#
𝐴!
x
z

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 29

Credits/References
§ University Physics 13th Ed, H. Young and R. Freedman
Pearson Education 2014
§ PowerPoint Lectures for University Physics 13th Ed,
Wayne Anderson
Pearson Education 2012
§ Physics 71 Lectures by J Vance, M Flores, A Lacaba, PJ
Blancas, G Pedemonte, DL Sombillo, K Agapito

§ Annotations by: Mark Ivan Ugalino

§ Edited by: Rene L. Principe Jr.

Lecture 02 - Vector Quantities 33