Representation of Vector

Displacement of a body from A to B is represented as,

A → B
s

Symbolically we write, AB = s

Magnitude of AB = AB
OR
= AB
 Consider AB and CD having
same magnitude and direction
1) Equal Vectors :

B AB = CD Let us understand now some

D special types of vectors
P
A Q or P = Q
C
Two or more vectors having the same
magnitude and the same direction
irrespective of their positions in space
are called equal vectors.
2) Opposite or negative vectors:

B
P D AB = – CD
A
Q or P = –Q
C

Any two vectors of same type which are

equal in magnitude but opposite in direction
are called opposite or negative vectors.
 3) Unit Vectors :
A vector having unit magnitude in a given
direction is called a unit vector.
A unit vector is,
ෝ
It is represented as 𝒂
= Given vector
Consider a vector a Magnitude of that vector

a
 𝒂
ෝ =
a
 4) Zero vector :

A vector having zero magnitude and having no

specific direction is called a zero vector or a null
vector.

It is represented by O.

Ex : i) The velocity of a particle at rest.

ii) The position vector of a particle at the origin.
 5) Rectangular unit vectors :
Rectangular unit vectors are the unit vectors along the
positive direction of the axes of the co-ordinate system.

Consider a coordinate axis system.

^
i represents unit vector along X axis
Y
^
j ^
^ j represents unit vector along Y axis
^ i
k O X ^
k represents unit vector along Z axis

Z
 6) Position vector :
A vector which represents the position of a point in magnitude
and direction,
direction with respect to a coordinate system is called
position vector.
Position vector of point ‘P’ with respect to
coordinate axis is,
y Consider a point P in space; ^ ^
P = 2i+3j
P (2, 3) having position (2, 3) ^ ^j
O = 0 i + 0
p OP = ( P – O )

= 2 ^i + 3^j – 0 ^i + 0^j

^
0 x = 2 i + 3^j
7) Polar Vector : Vectors which have initial point or
a point of application are called polar vectors.
Ex. Displacement, force, velocity etc.
Q

s
Axis

P initial point

8) Axial Vector : These vectors are used in rotational motion to define rotational
effects. Direction of these vectors is always along the axis of
rotation in accordance with right hand screw rule or right hand
thumb rule.
Ex. Infinitesimal angular displacement (d), Angular velocity (),
Angular momentum (L ), Angular acceleration (α) and Torque (  )
9) Collinear Vectors :The vectors lying in the same line are known as collinear vectors
Angle between collinear vectors is either 0° or 180°
Example . i) ( = 0°) ii) ( = 0°)
iii) ( = 180°) iv) ( = 180°)

10) Coplanar Vectors :Vectors located in the same plane are called coplanar vectors.
Note : Two vectors are always coplanar.

11) Concurrent Vectors : Those vectors which pass through a common point are called
concurrent vectors.
b
In figures a, b and c are concurrent vectos. a

c
12) Resultant vector : The resultant of two or more vectors is that single vector
which has the same effect as produced by the vectors together.
• To find magnitude of a vector :
If a vector A = A x i + Ay j + Az K then magnitude of A is given by
|A| = A = A x + Ay + Az
Where, Ax = component of A along x - axis
Ay = component of A along y - axis
Az = component of A along z - axis

a) Rightward → Positive x axis = i

Leftward → Negative x axis = -i

b) Upward → Positive y axis = j

Downward → Negative y axis = - j

c) Outward → Positive z axis = k

Inward → Negative z axis = -k
Triangle law of vector addition.
Let us consider
Then
Let the
us resultant
add the vector
two is Q,
vectors
Starting
Take
The an
point
the
resultant example
two of second
vectors
starts …
from vector
as sides of a
starting
is represented
at ending by as third
triangle
point of side
law
first of P
vector
triangle
st
point of 1 vectors in a certain
and ends order
at ending
triangle
Q point of 2nd vector
P

Consider two
vectors P & Q
Q

P
 Polygon law of vector addition
➢ The polygon law is useful to find the resultant of a number of vectors
graphically.
➢ Statement: If a number of vectors are represented in magnitude and
direction by the sides of a polygon taken in order, their resultant is
represented in magnitude and direction by the closing side of the
polygon taken in reverse order.
𝑽𝟑
𝑽𝟒
𝑽𝟓 𝑽𝟐
𝑽
𝑽𝟏
 Parallelogram law of vector addition
Statement :
If two vectors of same type acting simultaneously at a point are
represented in magnitude and direction along two adjacent sides of a
parallelogram then their resultant vector is represented in magnitude and
direction by the diagonal drawn from the same point.

Q R

P
 Special cases parallelogram law:
1) When θ = 00 (Parallel vectors),

Magnitude
R = P2 + 2PQ cos00 + Q2 (∵ cos 𝟎𝟎 = 𝟏)
 R =  P 2 + 2PQ + Q2
Direction
Q sin 00
tan α = P + Q cos 00
 R =  (P + Q) 2

(∵ sin 𝟎𝟎 = 𝟎)
 R = P+ Q  α = 00
Special cases :
2) When θ = 1800 (Anti-parallel vectors),
Magnitude Direction
R =  P2 + Q2 + 2PQ cos 1800  α = 00 ( If P > Q)
 α = 1800 ( If P < Q)
 R =  P2 + Q2– 2PQ
 R =  (P – Q)2 (∵ cos 180° = -1)
 R = P– Q
Q sin 1800
tan α =
P + Q cos 1800
Special cases :
3) When θ= 900 (Mutually perpendicular vectors),

Magnitude

R =  P2 + Q2 + 2PQ cos 900 (∵ cos 𝟗𝟎𝟎 = 𝟎)

 R =  P 2 + Q2

Direction
Q sin 900
tan α = (∵ sin 𝟗𝟎𝟎 = 𝟏)
P + Q cos 900
Q
Tan α = P
Memory Capsules :
1) Resultant vector is represented by
a) third side of triangle = in triangle law
b) Diagonal of parallelogram = starting from common point = in parallelogram law
c) Remaining side of polygon = in polygon law
2) Triangle law & Parallelogram law is used to add maximum 2 vectors at a time.
3) To add n vectors , we will have to use triangle law n-1 times. Hence we use polygon law in
such case.
4) To find resultant vector analytically [non i, j, k form] we must know angle between
the two vectors.

5) Resultant vector always lie in same plane as that of 2 vectors i.e. coplanar with 2
vectors
6) Angle between two vectors is measured tail to tail or head to head

60°
P
Q¹

7) Generally, while finding, direction of resultant

[i.e. angle] we consider 

tan  = F₂  sin F₂

F₁ + F₂ cos 
tan  = F₁ sin 
F₂ + F₁ cos  F₁
 Subtraction of Vectors
The process of subtracting one vector from another is equivalent to
adding the negative vector to the first vector
Let 𝑷 and 𝑸 be two vectors as shown in figure. Let a vector -𝑸 be
added to vector 𝑷 by the laws of vector addition. Their resultant gives
the value of (𝑷 −𝑸)
ഥ
𝑸
ഥ-𝑸
𝑷 ഥ =𝑷 ഥ)
ഥ + (-𝑸
𝛉 𝑷 ഥ
A
ഥ 180-𝛉
ഥ
𝑷 - 𝑸
+𝑸ഥ ഥ
-𝑸 ഥ
𝑺=𝑷 ഥ- 𝑸 ഥ
 ഥ is
ഥ- 𝑸
The magnitude of 𝑷
ഥ ഥ = 𝑷𝟐 + 𝑸𝟐 − 𝟐𝑷𝑸𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽
ഥ−𝑸
𝑺 = 𝑷
S = 𝑷𝟐 + 𝑸𝟐 − 𝟐𝑷𝑸𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽
𝑸 𝒔𝒊𝒏(𝟏𝟖𝟎𝟎 −𝜽) 𝑸 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽
Tan 𝛂=
𝑷+𝑸 𝒄𝒐𝒔(𝟏𝟖𝟎𝟎 −𝜽)
 Tan 𝛂=
𝑷−𝑸 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽

Laws of vector subtraction :

a) The vector subtraction does not follow commutative law
ഥ ≠ 𝑸 − 𝑷 But 𝑷
ഥ-𝑸
𝑷 ഥ = 𝑸
ഥ −𝑸 ഥ −𝑷
ഥ
b) The vector subtraction does not follow associative law
𝑷 ഥ -𝑹
ഥ - (𝑸 ഥ ) ≠ (𝑷 ഥ) - 𝑹
ഥ -𝑸 ഥ