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Vectors and Components

Physics 1

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TimothyLappay MJ Gwyneth
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4 views

Vectors and Components

Physics 1

Uploaded by

TimothyLappay MJ Gwyneth
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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VECTORS: KNOWING WHERE YOURE HEADED

Lesson Competencies:
1. Differentiate vector and scalar quantities (STEM_GP12V-Ia-8)
2. Perform addition of vectors (STEM_GP12V-Ia-9)
3. Rewrite a vector in component form (STEM_GP12V-Ia10)

Vector quantity has both a


magnitude and a direction in space. A vector
is a combination of exactly two values: a
magnitude (like the speed of an object in
motion) and a direction (such as the direction
of an object in motion). All kinds of things can
be described with vectors, including constant
motion, acceleration, displacement, magnetic
fields, electric fields, and many more. Physical quantity is described by a single number, we call it
a scalar quantity.
If two vectors have the same direction, they are parallel. If they have the same magnitude
and the same direction, they are equal. When the vectors are antiparallel the magnitude of equals
the difference of the magnitudes.
Vector notation There are many ways of writing the symbol of a vector. Vectors are denoted
by symbols with an arrow pointing the direction above it.

Representation of vectors

 vectors are represented by drawing arrows. The length represents magnitude and
arrowhead indicates direction.
 vectors are added geometrically by placing the tail of one vector on the head of
another. The resultant is the vector that begins at the tail of the first vector and ends at the
arrow head of the final vector.
 vectors can be subtracted by adding the negative vector.

FINDING A VECTOR’S COMPONENT


Unit Vectors: A unit vector is a vector that has a magnitude of 1, with no units.

 Method of components: simple but general method for adding vectors

E-MODULE FOR GENERAL PHYSICS 1 | FIRST QUARTER|PG7


To convert this vector into the coordinate way of
looking at vectors, you have to use the
trigonometry shown in the figure. The x
coordinate equals v cos θ, and the y coordinate
equals v sin θ:
vx = v cos θ
vy = v sin θ

Components are not vectors. The


components AX and AY of a vector A→ are
just numbers; they are not vectors
themselves. This is why we print the
symbols for components in light italic type
with no arrow on top instead of in boldface italic with an
arrow, which is reserved for vectors.

WORK ON THIS!
1. Suppose a person walks 3.0 meters to the
right of the origin. What is his displacement
vector in terms of coordinates?
2. b. Suppose that you’ve walked away from the origin so that you’re now at 5.0
kilometers from the origin, at an angle of 45°. Resolve that into vector coordinates.

2. Find the component vectors of the following:


x- y-
component component
a. 3.0 m, θ=15˚
b. 9.0 m, θ=35˚
c. 6.0m, θ=125˚
d. 4.0m, θ=255˚

VECTOR’S MAGNITUDE AND DIRECTION


If you’re given the coordinates of a vector, such as (4 , 3), you can convert it easily to
the magnitude/angle way of expressing vectors using trigonometry.

E-MODULE FOR GENERAL PHYSICS 1 | FIRST QUARTER|PG8


1. You know that:
vx = v cos θ
4 vy = v sin θ
2. In other words:
3

3. Which means that:

4. You can calculate the inverse sine (sin–1) or inverse cosine (cos–1) on your calculator.
(Look for the sin–1 and cos–1 button.)

1. In the figure above, you’re given x and y, the coordinates, but not v, the magnitude.
Dividing the expressions for y and x above gives you:

2. Where tan θ is the tangent of the angle. This means that:

3. Suppose that the coordinates of the vector are (4, 3). You can find the angle θ as the tan–
1(3/4) = 36.87°. And you can use the Pythagorean theorem to find the hypotenuse — the

magnitude, v — of the triangle formed by x, y, and v:

4. Plug in the numbers for this example to get:

5. So if you have a vector given by the coordinates (4, 3), its magnitude is 5, and its angle
is 36.87°.

VECTOR ALGEBRA
Vectors are added graphically.
Arrows representing two or more
vectors can be combined to
produce a single resultant or outcome vector.

E-MODULE FOR GENERAL PHYSICS 1 | FIRST QUARTER|PG9


 Finding v isn’t so hard because
you can use the
Pythagorean theorem:
Y=20

 Plugging in the numbers to get:


X=20

 So the convention is 28.3 miles


away. What about
the angle θ? You know that:

 In this case, you can find the angle


θ like so:

 And that’s it — you now know


that the convention is 28.3
units away at an angle of
45°.

LET’S TRY!
Example 1: An Air Niugini aeroplane is travelling east at a
velocity of 115km/h. The wind also blows east at 20km/h. The
resultant can be found by drawing two vectors to the same
scale and adding head to tail.

The resultant of 135km/h has the same direction as the component


velocities.

Example 2: The velocity of an aeroplane is 125km/h and its course is


eastward. The wind blows towards the west at 25km/h. The headwind will
slow the plane down. The resultant velocity of the aeroplane is found by adding
the vectors head to tail again. The resultant velocity of the aeroplane will be
100km/h east. (The resultant, has the same direction as the greater
velocity).

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