LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. Differentiate vector and scalar quantities;
2. Perform addition of vectors;
3. Rewrite a vector in component form.
 Scalar? or Vector?
1. an ant crawling 15 cm on top of the table
2. the troop of soldier walking 20 km to northward
direction
3. a bunch of flowers weighing 5 kilogram
4. a car running fast at 50 km/h, east
5. a boy jumping for 20 minutes
 What is scalar quantity?
➢ A scalar quantity is a quantity that can be
completely described by a single value
called magnitude. Magnitude means the
size or amount and always includes units
of measurement.
➢ Examples of scalar quantities are
mass, temperature, speed, time,
pressure and energy.
What is vector quantity?
➢ A vector quantity is a type of quantity
which has both magnitude and
direction.
➢ Typical examples vector quantities are
force, displacement, velocity and
acceleration.
PROPERTIES OF VECTORS
1. Parallel Vectors – vectors having the same
direction.
2. Anti-parallel Vectors – vectors having the same
magnitude or not as the original vector but in
opposite direction.
3. Equal Vectors – vectors having the same
magnitude and direction.
 VECTOR REPRESENTATION AND DIRECTION
▪ The direction of the vector is the acute angle it
makes with the east-west line. The word north
or south is written after the measure of the
angle followed by the phrase “of east” or “of
west”
Example:

▪ Specify the directions of vectors 𝑨, 𝑩, 𝑪 and 𝑫

as shown in the figure.
Practice Exercise:
Show the following directions using a vector diagram:
a. 28º North of East, b. 59º South of West, and c. 15º
South of East.
 VECTOR ADDITION
▪ Resultant (𝑹) – the sum of two or more vector
quantities.
▪ It is a single vector that if substituted in place of
all vectors to be added, would produce the same
combined effect of these vectors.
 PROPERTIES OF VECTOR ADDITION
1. Commutative Property – the order of adding
vectors may be changed without affecting the
resultant.
𝑨+𝑩=𝑩+𝑨
 PROPERTIES OF VECTOR ADDITION
2. Associative Property – the groupings of vectors
to be added may also be changed without affecting
the resultant.
(𝑨 + 𝑩) + 𝑪 = 𝑨 + (𝑩 + 𝑪)
METHODS OF VECTOR ADDITION

1. Graphical Method
• Parallelogram Method
• Polygon Method
2. Analytical Method
• Using the laws of sines and cosines
• Component Method
 Graphical Method
❑ Parallelogram Method

Steps in determining the Resultant Vector:

1. Using a suitable scale, draw the arrows representing
the vectors from a common point.
2. Construct a parallelogram using the two vectors as
sides.
3. Draw the diagonal of the parallelogram from the
common point. This represents the resultant 𝑹.
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
Example 1:
Two forces 𝑨 and 𝑩 are acting on an object. 𝑨 is 3.0
N directed North and 𝑩 is 4.0 N, 30º North of East.
Find the resultant force acting on the object using the
parallelogram method.
Solution:
Using the scale of 0.5 cm: 1 N, the parallelogram
using forces 𝑨 and 𝑩 as sides is drawn as shown in
the figure. Using a ruler, the length of the arrow
representing the magnitude of the resultant R is
found to be 6 cm. Using a protractor, the angle 𝜃
that 𝑹 makes with the horizontal is approximately
55°.
Therefore, 𝑹 is 6 N, 55° North of East.
 Graphical Method
❑ Polygon Method
- The polygon method is otherwise known as the tip-to-tail
(or head-to-tail) method. The following are the steps to be
followed using the polygon method.
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 property 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 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 performed is a triangle. In this
case, the polygon method is otherwise known as
triangle method.
Example 2:
You are out for an early morning walk. You walk 5.0 m,
South and 12.0 m, East. Then, you decided to walk
further and go 4.0 m, Southwest and 6.0 m, West. (a)
How far are you now from your starting point and in
what direction? (b) Would you have arrived at the same
spot had you taken the steps in this order: 12.0 m, East;
4.0 m, Southwest; 5.0 m, South; and 6.0 m, West? Use
the polygon method to determine the answer.
 Analytical Method

❑ Using Laws of Sines and Cosines

▪ The steps in vector addition using the laws of sines and
cosines are the same as in the polygon method, except that
instead of determining the magnitude and direction of the
resultant vector by actual measurement, they are
computed using these laws.
Analytical Method
 Analytical Method

Example 3:
Two forces A and B are acting on a particle. A is 3.0 N
directed North and B is 4.0 N, 30º North of East. Find the
resultant force using the laws of sines and cosines.
 Analytical Method

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
magnitudes of the vectors.
 Analytical Method

Special Cases:
2. For two vectors acting in opposite direction
➢ The angle between the two vectors is 180º. The
magnitude of the resultant is the difference between the
magnitudes of the vectors. The direction of the resultant is
the direction of the larger vector.
 Analytical Method

Special Cases:
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 a right
triangle.
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 vector into its components is
called resolution.
▪ Horizontal Component – the component along the x-axis
▪ Vertical Component – the component along the y-axis.
Example:

Mark walks 5.0 m, 37º North of West. Find the (a)

horizontal and (b) vertical components of his
displacement.
 Analytical Method

❑ Component Method
- The component method is generally used when adding more
than two vectors are to be added.
The steps involved in adding vectors using the component
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, σ 𝑉𝑥 .
Then, get the algebraic sum of all the vertical components,
σ 𝑉𝑦 . These sums represent the horizontal component and the
vertical component of the resultant, respectively.
3. Since the vertical and horizontal components are
perpendicular to each other, the magnitude of the resultant
may be calculated using the Pythagorean Theorem.

R = σ 𝑉𝑥 2 + (σ 𝑉𝑌 )²
4. Solve for the angle θ, that the resultant makes with the
horizontal.
Example 3:
Ana runs 4.00 m, 40º North of East; 2.00 m, East; 5.20
m, 30º South of West; and 6.50 m, South before
stopping for water break. Find the resultant
displacement from where she started.
Example 4:
Given the following vectors: 𝐴Ԧ = 8 m, 42º South of
Ԧ 4 m, Southeast; and 𝐷 = 2 m,
West; 𝐵 = 3 m, North; 𝐶=
56º North of West. Find the resultant.
 UNIT VECTORS

▪ A unit vector is a dimensionless vector with a

magnitude of 1.
▪ It’s only purpose is to point - that is, to
describe a direction in space.
 UNIT VECTORS
▪ Three unit vectors shall be defined as: 𝒊,Ƹ 𝒋Ƹ
and 𝒌. ෡
▪ 𝒊Ƹ - a unit vector along the positive x-axis
▪ 𝒋Ƹ - a unit vector along the positive y-axis
▪ ෡ - a unit vector along the positive z-axis
𝒌
Example
Vector 𝐴Ԧ has the following coordinates in a three-
dimensional space: (2.5, 3.6, 4.5) in meters. Express
vector 𝐴Ԧ in terms of unit vectors. Find also the
magnitude of vector 𝐴Ԧ .
 Example 4:

Given the two displacements:

෠ m and
𝐷 = (6.00𝑖Ƹ + 3.00𝑗Ƹ - 𝑘)
෠ m
𝐸 = (4.00𝑖Ƹ - 5.00𝑗Ƹ + 8.00𝑘)
find the magnitude of the displacement 2𝐷 - 𝐸.
 PRODUCT OF VECTORS

▪ Scalar Product – yields a scalar quantity

▪ Vector Product – yields another vector
 Scalar Product or Dot Product
❑ The scalar product of the two vectors 𝐴Ԧ and 𝐵 is denoted
Ԧ
by 𝐴·𝐵.
Ԧ , draw the two vectors 𝐴Ԧ
❑ To define the scalar product 𝐴·𝐵
and 𝐵 with their tails at the same point.
𝑨·𝑩 = B(Acos∅) = ABcos∅
Calculating Scalar Product Using Components
Calculating Scalar Product Using Components
Example 5
Ԧ of the two vectors in the figure
Find the scalar product 𝐴·𝐵
below. The magnitudes of the vectors are A = 4.00 and B =
5.00.
Example 6
Find the angle between the vectors
Vector Product or Cross Product
❑ The vector product of the two vectors 𝐴Ԧ and 𝐵 is denoted
by 𝐴Ԧ x 𝐵.
❑ To define the vector product 𝐴Ԧ x 𝐵, draw the two vectors
𝐴Ԧ and 𝐵 with their tails at the same point.
𝐶Ԧ = 𝐴Ԧ x 𝐵
 Cross Product Properties
❑ 𝑪 = |𝑨| |𝑩| sin ∅
where ∅ (ranges from 0º to 180º)
is the angle between positive direction of 𝐴Ԧ and 𝐵 (C is
always positive)
❑ Cross product is distributive
𝐴Ԧ x (𝐵 + 𝐶Ԧ ) = (𝐴Ԧ x 𝐵) x (𝐴Ԧ +𝐶)
Ԧ
❑ Cross product is neither associative nor commutative
𝐴Ԧ x (𝐵 x 𝐶Ԧ ) ≠ (𝐴Ԧ x 𝐵) x 𝐴Ԧ
𝐴Ԧ x 𝐵 ≠ 𝐵 x 𝐴Ԧ
Note: 𝐴Ԧ x 𝐵 = -𝐵 x 𝐴Ԧ
❑ If ∅ = 90º, (𝐴Ԧ and 𝐵 are perpendicular)
𝑪 = |𝑨| |𝑩| sin ∅
❑ If ∅ = 0º or ∅ = 180º (𝐴Ԧ and 𝐵 are parallel)
𝑪=0
Calculating Vector Product Using Components

𝑖Ƹ x 𝑗Ƹ = 𝑘෠ 𝑗Ƹ x 𝑖Ƹ = −𝑘෠
𝑗Ƹ x 𝑘෠ = 𝑖Ƹ 𝑘෠ x 𝑗= Ƹ −𝑖Ƹ
𝑘෠ x 𝑖Ƹ = 𝑗Ƹ ෠ −𝑗Ƹ
𝑖Ƹ x 𝑘=
 Example 7

Find 𝐶Ԧ x 𝐷 and the angle between them, if

𝐶Ԧ = 3𝑖Ƹ - 4𝑗Ƹ + 𝑘෠
𝐷 = 4𝑖Ƹ - 𝑗Ƹ + 2𝑘෠