Chapter 1

Vectors and scalars

Difference between vectors and scalars
Basic vector operations
Cross and dot product of vectors
Resultant of vectors

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Quantities in Physics are classified Scalar Example Magnitude
into scalars and vectors
1) A SCALAR : is any quantity in Physics
that has magnitude, but not a direction Speed 20 m/s
associated with it.

Distance 10 m
Magnitude : A numerical value with units.

Age 15 years

Heat 1000 calories

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 2) A VECTOR : is any quantity
Vector Magnitude and
in Physics that has both magnitude Example Direction
and direction. Velocity 35 m/s, North

Acceleration 10 m/s2, South

v , x, a, F Force 20 N, East

Vectors are typically

illustrated by drawing an Magnitude Direction
ARROW above the symbol.
This arrow is not used to
indicate either direction or Vector
magnitude of the vectors. 3
 Graphical representation of vectors

Magnitude of A = Magnitude of c ( both vectors have the same length).

Magnitude of B > Magnitude of A ( the length of vector B is larger than the

length of vector A)
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 Cartesian representation of vectors
y-axis

B
A x-axis

= (Ax) , = (By) = (ax,ay) = (rx, ry, rz)

= (Ax , 0, 0) , = (0, By ,0) = (ax,ay ,0)

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 Multiplication of vectors by a scalar

A =( Ax, Ay, Az )= (2,-2,1)

B = sA = s(Ax, Ay, Az) = (sAx, sAy, sAz ), where s is a constant
C= -2A = -2(Ax, Ay, Az) = (-2Ax, -2Ay, -2Az )=(-4,4,-2)

D=A/5 = (Ax, Ay, Az)/5 = (Ax/5, Ay/5, Az/5)=(2/5,-2/5,1/5)

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Vector addition and subtraction
1) By using components
A= (Ax, Ay, Az)
A= (Ax, Ay, Az) B = (Bx, By, Bz)
+
+ +
B = (Bx, By, Bz) C = (Cx, Cy, Cz)

C= A+B =( Ax+Bx, Ay+By, Az+Bz) D = A+B+C =( Ax+Bx+Cx , Ay+By+Cy , Az+Bz+Cz)

C= (Cx, Cy, Cz) Dx Dy Dz

Compare :
A=(Ax, Ay, Az)
-
Cx = Ax+Bx B =(Bx, By, Bz)
Cy = Ay+By
Cz = Az+Bz
F=A-B =( Ax-Bx, Ay-By, Az-Bz7)
Vector addition and subtraction

Q) If A= (5, 10, 2), B= (1,3, 2) and C =(1, 1, 0). Find A+2B-5C and
5 2

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Vector addition and subtraction
2) Graphically

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Vector addition and subtraction
2) Graphically

Reminder

They have the magnitude

(length) but different in direction

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Vector addition and subtraction
Q1) A child walks 5 m east, then 3 m north, then 1 m east.
a.) What is the magnitude of the child's displacement?
b.) What is the direction of the child's displacement?

Q2) In the figure below find the total velocity ( use the scale of 1 cm=1m/s)

5m/s

4m/s
7m/s
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Unit Vectors
Unit vectors : are vectors of magnitude 1 directed along the main coordinate axes
of the coordinate system.
Unit vectors are used to indicate the direction of vectors.

magnitude of the vector unit vector along the

A along the x-axis x-axis (direction)

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Vector length and direction

In space (3D)

The length (magnitude) of Vector A is

A (5,8,3)

In plane (2D)
The length (magnitude) of Vector A is

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 Product of vector
1) Scalar (dot) product
Symbol : dot ( )
Result of product : scalar
Example : A B
Commutative property
Dot product of magnitude magnitude The angle between
Distributive property vectors A and B of vector A of vector B vectors A and B

Note

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Types of vectors
1) Parallel vectors: if the two vectors are aligned in the same direction ( =0)

2) Antiparallel vectors : if the two vectors are aligned in the same direction
( =180).

3) Equal vectors : if the two vectors are aligned in the same direction ( =0)
And they have the same length ( same magnitude)

4) Perpendicular vectors : the angle between the two considered vector must
be 90

Perpendicular

Parallel Antiparallel Equal 15

 Product of vector

Q) If A= (1,2,4) and B= i+5j-6k.

1) Find magnitude of A
2) Find A.B
3) Find the angle between A and B

Q2) is A= (2,0,3) either parallel or antiparallel to B=(-4,0,-6)

Q3) is A= (2,5,-1) perpendicular to B=(0,2,10)

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 Product of vector
2) Vector (cross) product
Symbol : cross ( x )
Result of product : Vector
Example : A x B
Commutative property
cross product of magnitude magnitude The angle between
Distributive property vectors A and B of vector A of vector B vectors A and B

Note

Note

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 Product of vector
2) Vector (cross) product
Symbol : cross ( x )
Result of product : Vector
Example : A x B

cross product of magnitude magnitude The angle between

vectors A and B of vector A of vector B vectors A and B

+ - +
i j k
= Ax Ay Az =
Bx By Bz
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 Product of vector
2) Vector (cross) product

Commutative property

Distributive property

Note

Note

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 Product of vector

Q) If A= (1,2,4) and B= i+5j-6k.

1) Find AxB and its magnitude
2) Find BxA and its magnitude
3) Find AxA
4) Find (2A)x(-5B)

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Product of unit vectors
Cross product dot product

Note that the order of the unit vectors in the cross product is important, if we reverse the
order, then we should multiply by minus. In the case of the dot product, the order is not important

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 Geometrical interpretation of cross and dot products

Cross product Dot product

x is always perpendicular
on both vectors a and b
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 How to find the resultant of vectors

R =A+ B
Resultant of the vectors

1) Parallel 2) AntiParallel 3) Perpendicular 4) random

vectors vectors vectors vectors
(+ means +) (+ means -) (+ means Pythagoras (+ means component
theorem) method)

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 How to find the resultant of vectors
1) Parallel vectors: vectors are directed in the same direction
5i
4i R=A+B+C
3i
= 12 i

2) Antiparallel vectors: vectors are directed in the opposite direction

5i
4i R=A+B+C
3i
= 4i

5i
4i
R=A+B+C
3i = 2 (-i )=-2i 24
 How to find the resultant of vectors
3) Perpendicular vectors: vectors are normal to each other

4j R=A+B

5i 41 Magnitude of the R

Direction of the R

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 How to find the resultant of vectors
3*) Perpendicular/Antiparallel vectors
4j

3i 5i

5j

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 How to find the resultant of vectors
3**) Perpendicular vectors of equal magnitude

4j R=A+B

4i
Magnitude of the R

Result : Magnitude of the R = magnitude of any of the vectors x

Direction of the R.

Result : Vector R splits the angle between the two vectors equally 27
 How to find the resultant of vectors
4) Random vectors:
3j

2i 5i

4
4

5j

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PRACTISE
Q1) If A= (0, -1, 2), B= (0,3,-2) and C =(1, -1, 0). Answer the followings
a) Find AxB and its magnitude
b) Find BxA and its magnitude
c) Is A.2B equal to B.2A
d) Find the magnitude of C.(AxB)
e) Is A perpendicular to either B or C
f) Find the magnitude of A+2B-3C
g) Find ((A.C)B) x (CxA)
h) Find AxA and A.A, comment on your result
i) Find the angel between A and B.

Q2) On a hot summer day a person goes for a walk to see if they can find a store to buy some
water. He first walks 3.5 km [N], then 4.2 km [E] , and finally 1.4 km [S] before getting to the
store. Determine the displacement of the person.

Q3) A plane flies 34 km [N30oW] and after a brief stopover flies 58 km [N40oE]. Determine
the plane's displacement. 29
PRACTISE
Q4) Two forces F1 and F2 with magnitudes 20 and 30 N, respectively, act on an object at
a point P as shown in Figure 1. Find the resultant forces acting at P .

Q5) In figure 2 find the resultant force acting on the object.

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