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Ch2 Vectors Edited

The document discusses vectors and their properties including coordinate systems, adding and subtracting vectors, multiplying vectors by scalars, and finding vector components. Several example problems are worked through demonstrating how to find magnitudes and directions of resultant vectors.

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9 views24 pages

Ch2 Vectors Edited

The document discusses vectors and their properties including coordinate systems, adding and subtracting vectors, multiplying vectors by scalars, and finding vector components. Several example problems are worked through demonstrating how to find magnitudes and directions of resultant vectors.

Uploaded by

y95w4o
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EP 103

General Physics I

Chapter-2 Vectors
Chapter-2 Vectors

COORDINATE SYSTEMS

• Many aspects of physics deal in some form or other with


locations in space. For example, the mathematical
description of an object’s motion requires a method for
describing the object’s position at various times.

Designation of
• This description is accomplished with the use of points
coordinates. The cartesian coordinate system, in which in a cartesian
horizontal and vertical axes intersect at a point taken to be
coordinate
the origin (Fig.). Cartesian coordinates are also called
system.
rectangular coordinates.

Every point is
labeled with
coordinates (x, y).
Sometimes it is more convenient to represent a point in a plane by its plane polar
coordinates (r, θ), as shown in Figure. In this polar coordinate system, r is the
distance from the origin to the point having cartesian coordinates (x, y), and θ is
the angle between r and a fixed axis. This fixed axis is usually the positive x axis,
and θ is usually measured counter clockwise from it. From the right triangle, we
find that sin θ= y/r and that cos θ= x/r.
The Cartesian coordinates of a point in the
xy plane are (x, y)=(-3.50, -2.50)m, as shown
in Figure. Find the polar coordinates of this
point.

Because the point lies in the


third quadrant of the
180+35.5=215.5 coordinate system:
• A scalar quantity is completely specified by a single value with an
appropriate unit and has no direction. Examples of scalar quantities
are volume, mass, speed, and time intervals. Ex: 60km/h

• A vector quantity is completely specified by a number and


appropriate units plus a direction. The wind velocity, you must know
both the speed of the wind and its direction. Ex: 60km/h to the east

To represent a vector quantity a boldface letter, such as A or an arrow


is written over the symbol for the vector:
Equality of Two Vectors

These four vectors are equal because they


have equal lengths and point in the same
direction

Adding Vectors

When vector B is added to vector A, the


resultant R is the vector that runs from the
tail of A to the tip of B.
R is the vector drawn from the tail of the
first vector to the tip of the last vector.

Walking first 3.0m due east and then 4.0m


due north leaves you 5.0m from your
starting point.
Commutative law of addition:

Associative law of addition:

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Negative of a Vector

The negative of the vector A is defined as the vector


that when added to A gives zero for the vector sum

Subtracting Vectors

This construction shows


how to subtract vector B
from vector A.

9
A car travels 20.0km due north and then 35.0km in a
di-rection 60.0°west of north, as shown in Figure
3.12a. Find the magnitude and direction of the
car’s resultant displacement.

The magnitude of R can be obtained from


the law of cosines as applied to the triangle

The resultant displacement of the


car is 48.2km in a direction
39.0°west of north
Multiplying a Vector by a Scalar

If vector A is multiplied by a positive scalar


quantity m, then the product mA is a vector
that has the same direction as A and
magnitude mA. If vector A is multiplied by a
negative scalar quantity -m, then the
product –mA is directed opposite A.

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A vector A lying in the xy-plane can be
represented by its component vectors Ax and
Ay.

The y component vector Ay can be moved


to the right so that it adds to Ax. The vector
sum of the component vectors is A

The components of A are:

the magnitude and direction of A are:


The signs of the components Ax and Ay
depend on the angle

The signs of the components of a vector A


depend on the quadrant in which the vector
is located

Unit Vectors

A unit vector is a dimen-sionless vector


having a magnitude of exactly 1.Unit
vectors are used to specify a given
direction and have no other physical
significance. We shall use the symbols

to represent unit vectors pointing in the positive


x, y, and zdirections, respectively.
The magnitude of each unit vector equals 1

The point can be specified


by the position vector r

The sum of two vectors shows the


relationship between the components of
the resultant R and the components of the
individual vectors.
Sum of three-dimensional vectors:

Find the sum of two vectors A and B lying in the xyplane and given by:

the direction of R

the answer -27° but the angle


The magnitude of R: must start from +x-axis. So The
angle:
A particle undergoes three consecutive displacements

Find the components of the resultant displacement and its magnitude

The resultant displacement has Its magnitude is


components Rx=25cm,
Ry=31cm, and Rz=7.0cm.
A hiker begins a trip by first walking 25.0km
southeast from her car. On the second day,
she walks 40.0km in a direction 60.0°north
of east. Determine the components of the
hiker’s displacement for each day and an
expression for R in terms of unit vectors

The vector R has a magnitude of 41.3km


and is directed 24.1°north of east.
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