VECTORS

Introduction:
Physical quantities are divided into two type scalars an vectors.

Scalars:
A scalar is a quantity that is fully described by a single value. It has magnitude but no direction. Temperature
(e.g., 20°C), mass (e.g., 5 kg), and time (e.g., 10 seconds) are examples of scalar quantities.

Vectors:
A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude and direction also obeys the algebraic rules of vectors. It is
represented as an arrow (Ā) where the length of the arrow indicates the magnitude (written as |A|, |B|) and the
direction of the arrow shows the direction. Velocity (e.g., 60 km/h to the north), force (e.g., 10 N downward), and
displacement (e.g., 5 meters east) are example of vectors.

Types of vectors:
Types of vectors are appended below:
a. Parallel vector: Vectors that have the same direction but their magnitudes may differ.
b. Anti parallel vector: Vectors that have exact opposite direction and also differ in magnitudes.
c. Equal vector: Two or more vectors that have the same magnitude and direction, regardless of their
initial points.
d. Negative of a vector: A vector that has the same magnitude as another vector but exact opposite in
direction.
e. Free vector: A vector whose initial point is not fixed, meaning it can be moved parallel to itself, as
long as its direction and magnitude remain unchanged.
f. Null vector: A vector with zero magnitude and no specific direction, resultant of two or more
negative vectors.
g. Position vector: A vector that represents the position of a point relative to an origin.
h. Unit vector: A vector with a magnitude of unity/ one. It is used to indicate direction of a vector.
Often denoted by a hat symbol, such as î, ĵ, or k^ in Cartesian coordinates.
Example:
A = 50N – North
A = |A| x â
Unit vector is obtained by the division of a vector by its own magnitude.
â = A / |A|
 Resolution of a vector
A process of splitting a vector into its two mutually perpendicular components along x and y axis is
called resolution of a vector.

y
A

Ay
Ay

Ax

To determine the values of A x and Ay component of a vector, we use the simple laws of right angle
triangle. By the known magnitude and direction of the vector, value for resolute components can be
obtained by the basic trigonometric functions. i.e: Magnitude of x component can be obtained as it is
the base of right angle triangle and the vector is hypotenuse:

Cosϴ = Base/ Hypotenuse therefore, Cosϴ = Ax / A

Hence: Ax = A Cosϴ

Similarly, the y component can be obtained by sin function:

Sinϴ = Perpendicular/ Hypotenuse , Sinϴ = Ay / A
Hence: Ay = A Sinϴ
 Addition of Vectors
Head to tail rule:
The head-to-tail rule, also known as the triangle method, is a graphical technique used to add vector’s tail to
previous vector’s head. Resultant vector can be obtained by drawing a new vector from the tail of the first vector
to the head of the second vector.
Example: B
A
A = 50N – East C
B = 70N – North
C = 50N – North, West

Parallelogram Method:

A R
A Ay

B Ax
Magnitude of x component can be obtained as it is the base of right angle triangle and the vector is
hypotenuse:
Cosϴ = Base/ Hypotenuse therefore, Cosϴ = Ax / A
Hence: Ax = A Cosϴ

Similarly, the y component cab be obtained by sin function:

Sinϴ=Perpendicular/ Hypotenuse , Sinϴ = Ay / A
Hence: Ay = A Sinϴ
For the magnitude of the Resultant vector we can use the Pythagoras theorem on the large triangle:
Hypotenuse2 = Base2 + Perpendicular2
Here: Hypotenuse = Resultant vector, Perpendicular = Ay = A Sinϴ and Base = B + A Cosϴ
So, R2 = (A Sinϴ)2 + (B + A Cosϴ)2
R2 = A2 Sin2ϴ + A2 Cos2ϴ + 2 AB Cosϴ + B2
R2 = A2 (Sin2ϴ + Cos2ϴ) + 2 AB Cosϴ + B2 ჻ Sin2ϴ + Cos2ϴ = 1
R2 = A2 + B2 + 2 AB Cosϴ
R2 = A2 + B2 + 2 AB Cosϴ

Simultaneously, for the direction:

As the Resultant vector is the Hypotenuse of main triangle, Base is the vector B + A Cosϴ and perpendicular =
A Sinϴ
As we know that: tanϴ = Perpendicular/ Base
Therefore, tanϴ = A Sinϴ/ B + A Cosϴ
-1
ϴ = tan (A Sinϴ/ B + A Cosϴ)
Rectangular component method:

A2
A2y
A

A1
A1y
A1x A2x Y

For the magnitude of resultant vector, we will use Pythagoras theorem:

Hypotenuse2 = Base2 + Perpendicular2
Here: Hypotenuse is the Resultant vector, Perpendicular is A1y + A2y and Base is A1x + A2x

As we know that:
Magnitude of x component can be obtained as it is the base of right angle triangle and the vector are
hypotenuse:
Cosϴ = Base/ Hypotenuse therefore, Cosϴ = Ax / A
Hence: A1x = A1 Cosϴ A2x = A2 Cosϴ

Similarly, the y component cab be obtained by sin function:

Sinϴ=Perpendicular/ Hypotenuse, Sinϴ = Ay / A
Hence: A1y = A1 Sinϴ A2y = A2 Sinϴ

Therefore:
R2 = (A1x + A2x)2 + (A1y + A2y)2
R2 = (A1 Cosϴ + A2 Cosϴ)2 + (A1 Sinϴ + A2 Sinϴ)2

R2 = (A1 Cosϴ + A2 Cosϴ)2 + (A1 Sinϴ + A2 Sinϴ)2

Simultaneously, for the direction:

As the Resultant vector is the Hypotenuse of main triangle, Base is the vector A1 Cosϴ + A2 Cosϴ and
perpendicular = A1 Sinϴ + A2 Sinϴ
As we know that: tanϴ = Perpendicular/ Base
Therefore, tanϴ = A1 Sinϴ + A2 Sinϴ / A1 Cosϴ + A2 Cosϴ
-1
ϴ = tan (A1 Sinϴ + A2 Sinϴ / A1 Cosϴ + A2 Cosϴ)
 Vector Product
When two or more vector get multiplied we get a vector quantity as a Resultant, also we get a scalar quantity.
Therefore, vector product is divided into scalar product or Dot product and a vector or a cross product.

Dot product:
The product of magnitudes of the vectors and the cosine of the angle between them is called scalar product.
A.B = |A||B| Cosϴ

Commutative law:
Due geometry of Dot product, it follows commutative property of multiplication i.e: A.B = B.A
It can be proved by II methods as given below:
B
A
B
A.B = AB B Cosϴ = AB Cosϴ A
AB BA
A.B = BB A Cosϴ = BA Cosϴ

If we d not change the order of projection we can determine the angle in reverse direction. As we know
that: Cos (360 - ϴ) = Cosϴ.
Therefore:
As, A.B = AB Cosϴ then, B.A = AB Cos (360 - ϴ) also, BA Cosϴ

Distributive law:
It requires to involve three vectors to prove the distributive law, Let take A, B and C respectively and
prove A (B + C) = AB + AC. Take left hand side and draw the projection of vectors B + C onto the
direction of vector A.

Here: B + C = RA
The magnitude of resultant vector into the directions of
C vector A is equal to BA + CA
Therefore,
R A (B + C) = A (RA)
B
A (B + C) = A (BA + CA)
A (B + C) = ABA + ACA
A
BA CA
A (B + C) = AB Cosϴ + AC Cosϴ
OR
A (B + C) = A.B + A.C
A (B + C) = A.B + A.C

Cross product:
 Vector product can be defined as a vector multiplication where the resultant is also a vector quantity and lies
perpendicular to the plane. Direction of the resultant vector can be predicted by the right hand/ screw principle.

Here:
Y A x B =|A||B| Sinϴ
Magnitude of resultant vector is equal to area of parallelogram and
direction is perpendicular.
Z Where tan function defines the ratio between the adjacent and opposite sides
R of triangle therefore, sin function only defines the relation of perpendicular
B
and hypotenuse.

X
BA A
-R