TANAUAN INSTITUTE, INC.

Senior High School Department

Modified Learning Scheme : Workbook

GENERAL PHYSICS 1
st
1 Semester, S.Y. 2020-2021
Subject Teacher: Laurence C. Abanilla

TOPIC: Scalar and Vector Quantities SESSION: 4th Session

OBJECTIVES OF THE LESSON:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Know the difference between scalar and vector quantities.
2. Give examples for each type of quantities.
3. Identify the components that make up a vector.
4. Perform addition of vectors using different methods.

VALUES INTEGRATION:
In Physics, vectors are very useful because they can visually represent position,
displacement and velocity. Such thing is very vital because it can help the people in the field of
science to communicate visually, thus, helping them to have an easier way of saying that a
specific value of force acted upon a particular object. In this lesson, the students will be able to
appreciate that vectors are actually useful in real-life and not only a topic discussed within a
classroom.

VOCABULARY:
Magnitude- the size or extent of something.
Distance- an amount of space between two things.
Displacement- the change of the position of an object.

DISCUSSION:
 SCALAR and VECTOR QUANTITIES

Scalar
- quantity that communicate a particular size or magnitude.
- quantities described only by its magnitude and has no direction.
Example: mass, distance, time, temperature, density
Note: Scalar quantities can be combined by simply adding or subtracting their magnitudes.

Vector
-quantities described by its magnitude and direction.
Example: displacement, velocity, weight, force

Parts of a vector: Magnitude (m, km, N)

Direction (North, East, West, South, angle of inclination)

“Forces” are drawn or represented by vectors.

Vectors are usually denoted with bold letters with an arrow on top.

Example: A

Vectors are also used to predict the motions of an object.

VECTOR ADDITION:
1. Head to tail

A B
= Vector A + B

2. If two vectors point towards the same direction, simply add its magnitude.
4 3

4 + 3 =7
3. Angle between two vectors:
4
=

3
C

How to find vector C?

Since the two vectors formed a right angle, the triangle is said to be a right triangle. To find the
resultant vector C,
Use the Pythagorean theorem: a 2+b 2=c 2

4 2 +32=c2

c= √ 42 +32
c=5
To find the angle theta, use the mnemonic device SOHCAHTOA:
 opposite 3
sinθ= = =0.6
hypotenuse 5
adjacent 4
cosθ= = =0.8
hypotenuse 5
opposite 3
tanθ= = =0.75
adjacent 4
Using the calculator, press shift + your preferred trigonometric function:
Example: Shift + sin (0.6)
= sin −1 ( 0.6 )=36.9 degrees

ADDING VECTORS USING COMPONENTS:

-Breaking up a vector into its x and y components.
-This method is useful in solving projectile motions.
Example:
1. A ball is thrown vertically at an angle. Its velocity can be represented using a vector.
Step 1. We should know the magnitude A and the angle at which the ball is thrown.
Step 2. Use the trigonometric function to find Ax and Ay:
Ay
sinθ= equals A sin ( )= Ay
A
Ax
cosθ= equals A cos ( )= Ax
A
Ay
Tanθ=
Ax

Example:
1. A soccer player kicks a ball with an initial velocity of 10 m/s at an angle 30 degrees above the
horizontal. Find,
a. the magnitude of the horizontal component.
b. vertical component of the ball’s velocity.
 Ay= Asin30
Ay= 10sin30
Ay= 5 m/s

Ax= Acos30
Ay= 10cos30
Ax= 8.66 m/s

QUESTION:
1. How are you going to say if a given quantity is scalar or vector quantity?
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2. How do you find the resultant/ displacement of two vectors forming right angle?
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ACTIVITY:
Direction. Illustration. Represent the following vectors, in a vector system, and determine the
resultant vector (displacement). Identify the vertical and horizontal components of each. (5
points each)
1. A force of 10 N at 45 degrees.
2. A force of 25 N at 240 degrees.
3. 10 N acted upon an object 20 degrees south of west.
4. 40 N, 50 degrees south of east.
QUIZ:
Direction. Problem Solving. Solve the given problem. Illustrate the given vectors in a vector
system and answer the question being asked. Show your solution.
1. Vector A= 80 N at 65 degrees N of E.
2. Vector B= 100 N at 20 degrees S of E.
3. Vector C= 60 N going to the West.

Questions:
1. What are the horizontal and vertical components of each vector?
2. What is the displacement of these vectors?
3. At what angle is the resultant projected at?

REFLECTION:
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