APPLIED PHYSICS

NS1001
FA25
 NS1001

APPLIED PHYSICS
BS SE & CS
NS1001
FALL 2025

Lecturer
Ahmad Wadood
 LECTURE 1

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CONTENT

1. Adding Vectors
2. Components of Vectors
3. Unit Vectors
4. Vector Multiplication
Scalar Product and Vector Product
5. Vectors in Computer Science
6. Practice Problems

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 1. Adding Vectors
Vectors are represented by arrows.

The length of the arrow represents the magnitude (size) of the

vector.

20
50 m/s
m/s

And, the arrow points in the appropriate direction.

NW

East

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Adding vectors graphically

+
1. Without changing the length or the direction of any vector, slide the
tail of the second vector to the tip of the first vector.

2. Draw another vector, called the RESULTANT, which begins at the

tail of the first vector and points to the tip of the last vector.>

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 Subtracting vectors graphically

1. First, reverse the direction of the vector you are subtracting. Then, without changing
the length or the direction of any vector, slide the tail of the second vector to the tip of
the first vector.

2. Draw another vector, called the RESULTANT, which begins at the tail of the first vector
and points to the tip of the last vector.
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Adding co-linear vectors (along the same line)

A=8m B=4m

A + B = R = 12 m

C = 10 m/s D = - 3 m/s

C + D = 10 + (-3) = R = 7 m/s

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 Airplane Tailwind

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 Airplane Headwind

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Adding perpendicular vectors

11.
6 7m
6m C = $% ' + ! ' = $$#!"
10 m

How could you find out the length of the RESULTANT?

Since the vectors form a right triangle, use the PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
A2 + B2 = C2

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2. Components of Vectors

Each vector can be described in terms of its x and y

components.

Y (vertical)
component

X (horizontal) component

If you know the lengths of the x and y components, you can calculate the length of the vector
using the Pythagorean.

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Drawing the x and y components of a vector is
called “resolving a vector into its
components”
Make a coordinate system and slide the tail of
the vector to the origin.
Draw a line from the arrow tip to the x-axis.
X component
The components may be negative or positive
or zero. Y component

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Calculating the Components
How to find the length of the components if you know the magnitude and direction of
the vector.
m/s
2
=1
A Ay = A sin q
= 12 sin 35 = 6.88 m/s

q = 35 degrees
Ax = A cos q = 12 cos 35 = 9.83 m/s

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Are these components positive or negative?

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 What is vx?
V=

Vx = - v cos q˚
22
m/

Vx = -22 cos 50˚

s

q = 50˚
Vx = - 14.14 m/s
What is vy?
Vy = v sin q˚
Vy = 22 sin 50˚
Vy = 16.85 m/s

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 Finding the angle
Suppose a displacement vector has an x-component of 5 m and a y-component of - 8 m.
What angle does this vector make with the x-axis?

q=?

We are given the side adjacent to the angle and the side opposite the angle.
Which trig function could be used?
Tangent q = perpendicular ÷ Base
Therefore the angle q = tan -1 (perpendicular ÷ Base )
q = 32 degrees below the positive x-axis
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Adding Vectors by Components
ØSlide each vector to the origin
ØResolve each vector into its x and y components
ØThe sum of alcl x components is the x component of the RESULTANT
ØThe sum of all y components is the y component of the RESULTANT
ØUsing the components, draw the RESULTANT
ØUse Pythagorean to find the magnitude of the RESULTANT
ØUse inverse tan to determine the angle with the x-axis.

A = 18, q = 20 degrees
B = 15, b = 40 degrees

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 Adding Vectors by Components

x y
B
A A 18 cos 20 18 sin 20
q
b
a B 15 cos 140 15 sin 140

R 5.42 15.8

a = tan-1(15.8 / 5.42) ) = &"'(( + #&"% ( = #$"!

a = 71.1 o degrees above the positive x-axis

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 3. Unit Vectors

A unit vector is a vector that has a magnitude of exactly 1 unit. Depending on the
application, the unit might be meters, or meters per second. The unit vectors are in the
positive x, y, and z axes and are labeled

! ! !
$ # "
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Examples of Unit Vectors
Example 1: A position vector ! # #
! = !" + " #
(or r = 3i + 2j ) is one whose x-component is 3 units y-component is 2 units (SI units: meters).

Example 2: A velocity vector

$ = ##"! ! " !
The velocity has an x-component of 3t units (it varies with time) and a y-component of -4 units
(it is constant). (SI units: m/s)

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Working with unit vectors

Suppose the position, in meters, of an object was given by r = 3t3i + (-2t2 - 4t)j
What is v?
Take the derivative of r!
What is a?
Take the derivative of v!
What is the magnitude and direction of v at t = 2 seconds?
Plug in t = 2, pythagorize i and j,
then use arc tan (tan -1)to find the angle!

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4. Vector Multiplication
1. Multiplying a scalar by a vector
(scalar)(vector) = vector
Example: Force (a vector): m𝑎⃗ = 𝐹⃗
The scalar only changes the magnitude of the vector with which it is multiplied.
𝐹⃗ and 𝑎⃗ are always in the same direction!
2. “Dot” product
vector • vector = scalar
Example: Work (a scalar): 𝐹⃗ • 𝑑⃗ = W
3. “Cross” product
vector x vector = vector
Example: Torque (a vector): 𝑟⃗ x 𝐹⃗ = 𝜏⃗

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Scalar Product or Dot Product

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Scalar Product or Dot Product

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Scalar Product or Dot Product

A • B = AB cos q
A= 6
=(6)(4) cos 100˚
q=
= - 4.17 100 ˚

B= 4

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 Cross Product or Cross Product
Cross products yield vectors with both magnitude and
direction
Magnitude of Cross products: A= 6

A x B = AB sin q q=
100 ˚

=(6) (4) sin 100 ˚

= 23.64 Units

B= 4

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For DOT products, only co-linear components yield a non-zero answer.
3i • 4i = 12 (NOT i - dot product yield scalars)
3i x 4i = 0
Why? (3)(4) cos 0˚ = 12 and (3)(4) sin 0˚ = 0
For CROSS vectors, only perpendicular components yield a non-zero answer.
3i • 4j = 0
3i x 4j = 12k (k because cross products yield vectors)
Why? (3)(4) cos 90˚ = 0 (3)(4) sin 90˚ = 12
The direction is along the k-axis

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5. Vectors in Computer Science

In computer science, vectors are fundamental for representing direction

and magnitude. They play a crucial role in various algorithms and
applications, from graphics to machine learning.

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They enable the creation They used feature representation
of 3D models and the and data manipulation. They
manipulation of 2D enable algorithms to process and
images with precision. analyze high-dimensional data
efficiently,leading to accurate
predictions and insights.
Utilization in
Applications Machine
in Graphics Learning

Coding and
Computers Vectors are used to handle data
in programs. They make it easy
to organize and process
information

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6. Practice Problems

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 The End for Now

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