VECTORS AND

SCALARS
 SCALAR
• A scalar is a physical quantity that has
only a magnitude (size).
• For example, a person buys a tub of
margarine which is labelled with a mass
of 500 g. The mass of the tub of
margarine is a scalar quantity.
 VECTOR
• A vector is a physical quantity that has
both a magnitude and a direction.
• Vectors are different because they are
physical quantities which have a
size and a direction.
• A vector tells you how much of something
there is and which direction it is in.
Vectors are different to scalars and must have their own
notation. There are many ways of writing the symbol for
a vector.
Vectors will be shown by symbols with an arrow
pointing to the right above it.
For example, F⃗, W⃗ and v⃗ represent the vectors of
force, weight and velocity, meaning they have both a
magnitude and a direction.
For the case of the force vector: F⃗ represents the force
vector F represents the magnitude of the force vector
 DRAWING VECTORS
• In order to draw a vector accurately we must represent its
magnitude properly and include a reference direction in the
diagram. A scale allows us to translate the length of the
arrow into the vector's magnitude. For instance, if one
chooses a scale of 1 cm = 2 N (1 cm represents 2 N), a force
of 20 N towards the East would be represented as an arrow
10 cm long pointing towards the right.
• The points of a compass are often used to show direction
or alternatively an arrow pointing in the reference direction.
 DRAWING VECTORS
𝑘𝑚 𝑜
1. 𝑣⃗ = 75
ℎ𝑟
50 𝑁 𝑜𝑓 𝑊

⃗ 𝑜
2. 𝐹 = 800 𝑁 70 𝑆 𝑜𝑓 𝑊
𝑚 𝑜
3. 𝑎⃗ = 5 2 25 𝑆 𝑜𝑓 𝐸
𝑠
 FINDING THE MAGNITUDE OF THE X
AND Y COMPONENTS
1. A force vector has a magnitude of 100 N
directed at an angle of 30 degrees above
the x-axis. Calculate the magnitude of the x
and y components of this force vector.
Express the answer using the standard unit
vectors.
 STANDARD UNIT VECTORS

𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟:

𝑖Ƹ
𝑚
𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒, 𝑣⃗ = 2 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛, 𝑣⃗ = 2 𝑖Ƹ
𝑠
 STANDARD UNIT VECTORS

𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑦 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟:

𝑗Ƹ
𝑚
𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒, 𝑣⃗ = 5 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛, 𝑣⃗ = 5 𝑗Ƹ
𝑠
2. Calculate the x and y components of a
o
2 500 N force directed 50 N of W.
3. A boy walked 500 m 600 S of E from a
tree to a river, then he changed his
direction and walked for another 100 m
heading 250 S of W. Find the x and y
components of the displacement travelled
by the boy.
SOLVING THE RESULTANT OF TWO OR
MORE VECTORS

F1 = 25 N o
50 S of W
o
F2 = 40 N 15 N of E
Steps in Solving the Resultant Vector
1. Draw the vectors in the Cartesian
coordinate, separately to avoid confusion,
and resolve their components.
2. Determine the value of the x and y
components of each vector.
3. Determine the summation or add up all
components along the x-axis
and y-axis. (Algebraic sum)
Steps in Solving the Resultant Vector
4. Draw the computed sum of the x and y
components in the Cartesian coordinate,
using the head-to-tail method. Then draw
the resultant, starting from the origin to the
head of the vector along y-axis.
5. Apply Pythagorean theorem to solve the
magnitude of the resultant.
6. Determine the direction angle of the
resultant using tangent function.
 ADDING VECTORS
Addition of vectors follow rules of
vector algebra different from the rules of
ordinary algebra. Two or more vectors
can be add resulting to a single vector
known as resultant. Resultant vector is
the algebraic sum of two or more vectors.
 ADDING VECTORS
Methods of Adding Vectors
Case 1. Vectors in the same direction are
added to get the resultant following the
direction of the vectors.
Ex. 10 km east and 10 km east
→10 km east + 10 km east = 20 km east
Ex. 10 km west and 10 km west
→10 km west + 10 km west = 20 km west
 ADDING VECTORS
Methods of Adding Vectors
Case 2. Vectors in the opposite direction are
subtracted to get the resultant following the
direction of the bigger vector.
Ex 1. 20 km east and 10 km west
→20 km + (-10 km) = 10 km east
Ex 2. 20 km west and 10 km east
→(-20 km) + 10 km = 10 km west
 ADDING VECTORS
Methods of Adding Vectors
Case 3. Vectors acting at
right angle with each other.
Use Pythagorean theorem.
Ex 1. 30 km E and 40 km N
𝑅 = 30 𝑘𝑚 2 + (40 𝑘𝑚)2
𝑅 = 50 𝑘𝑚
 GRAPHICAL METHODS
1. PARALLELOGRAM METHOD
Two vectors forming an angle between 0 degree
and 180 degrees used this method. Once the given
vectors are properly scaled, the vectors are drawn
in the Cartesian coordinate.
Ex. Determine the Resultant Force:
F1 = 450 N 40o N of W F2 = 600 N 70o S of E
 GRAPHICAL METHODS

2. POLYGON METHOD
This is also known as the “head-to-tail” method.
This method can be used to determine the
resultant of two or more vectors. To do the
method, use the Cartesian coordinate.
 First, convert the vectors into their appropriate scale.
Then plot the first vector starting from the origin. From
the tip of the first vector, connect the tail of the second
vector, the third vector is connected to tail of the second
vector, and so on, depending on the number of vectors
involved. After all the vectors are plotted, draw a line
starting from the origin to the tip of the last vector
drawn, and put an arrowhead, touching the head of the
last vector. That vector is the resultant of all the vectors
plotted in the Cartesian coordinate.
 GRAPHICAL METHODS
2. POLYGON METHOD
Example: Given the following vectors, determine
the resultant vector. Scale: 1cm = 50 N
F1 = 100 N 300 N of W
F2 = 150 N 600 S of W
0
F3 = 50 N 45 S of E
FR = ?
Example: Given the following vectors, determine the resultant
vector. F1 = 100 N 300 N of W F2 = 150 N 600 S of W Scale: 1cm
= 50 N F3 = 50 N 450 S of E FR = ?
 ACTIVITY
1. PARALLELOGRAM METHOD
MATERIALS NEEDED: GRAPHING PAPER, RULER,
PROTRACTOR, PEN
Determine and the resultant of two vectors using
the parallelogram method. Use the Cartesian
coordinate in drawing your vectors.
𝒅𝟏 = 𝒐
𝟔𝟎𝟎 𝒌𝒎 𝟓𝟎 𝑵 𝒐𝒇 𝑬
𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆: 𝟏 𝒄𝒎 = 𝟏𝟓𝟎 𝒌𝒎
𝒅𝟐 = 𝒐
𝟒𝟓𝟎 𝒌𝒎 𝟏𝟓 𝑺 𝒐𝒇 𝑾
 ACTIVITY
2. POLYGON METHOD
MATERIALS NEEDED: GRAPHING PAPER, RULER,
PROTRACTOR, PEN
Determine and the resultant of two vectors using the
Polygon method. Use the Cartesian coordinate in
drawing your vectors.
𝑭𝟏 = 𝟔𝟎 𝒅𝒚𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆: 𝟏 𝒄𝒎 = 𝟐𝟎 𝒅𝒚𝒏𝒆𝒔
𝑭𝟐 = 𝒐
𝟕𝟎 𝒅𝒚𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝟒𝟓 𝑺 𝒐𝒇 𝑾
𝒐
𝑭𝟑 = 𝟔𝟎 𝒅𝒚𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝟕𝟓 𝑺 𝒐𝒇 𝑬