01

NOTE
P H Y S I C S

MATHEMATICAL TOOLS
VECTOR ADDITION

What you already know What you will learn

• Vector addition by Triangle law,

• Vector addition - component form
Parallelogram law and Polygon Law
• Vector subtraction
• Unit vector

A river is flowing at 5 m/s. A man swims with velocity 2 m/s at an angle 37° tothe direction
of flow. Find the resultant velocity of the man.

Solution

Step 1 List the forces

Visualise the forces

2 m/s

Q R
37˚ 2
11
P 5 m/s

If the magnitude of the resultant of two vectors of equal magnitudes is equal to the
magnitude of either vectors, then find the angle between those two vectors?

Solution

Step 1
Visualise the situation.
Let A and B be the
given two vectors 1

|A| = |B| = |R| = x(say) 2

 02

B
The resultant of vectors OB and OA R
perpendicular as shown in the figure. Find 6
θ
the angle AOB. x
0 4 A

OB sinθ y
Solution tanα =
OA + OB cosθ
OB sinθ 6sinθ
tanα = tan 90
= →∞ B
4 + 6 cosθ R
OA + OB cosθ
6sinθ ∴4 + 6 cosθ =0 6 θ
tan 90
= →∞ 1 α
4 + 6 cosθ 2 ∞= x
cosθ = −   0 4 A
∴4 + 6 cosθ =0 3 0

2
cosθ = −  
NEET
3
Vector addition – Component form

Let, i j k

A = Axi + Ay j + Azk, A Ax Ay Az
B = Bxi + By j + Bzk,
and C = Cxi + Cy j + Czk B Bx By Bz

be three vectors.
C Cx Cy Cz

Then the vector A + B + C can be written as

(Ax + B x + Cx)i + (Ay + B y + Cy) j + (Az + B z + Cz)k

Find the vector A + 2B + C, where A = 2i - j + k, B = 3i + 4j - 2k and C = i - j - k, also

find it’s magnitude

Solution

Step 1 Step 2
List all the required vectors Group the similar components of the
A = 2i - j + k vectors together
2B = 6i + 8j -4k
A + 2B + C = (2 + 6 + 1)i + (-1 + 8 - 1)j + (1 + -4 - 1)k
C=i-j-k

Step 3 Step 4
 Step 1 Step 2
List all the required vectors Group the similar components of the
03 A = 2i - j + k vectors together
2B = 6i + 8j -4k
A + 2B + C = (2 + 6 + 1)i + (-1 + 8 - 1)j + (1 + -4 - 1)k
C=i-j-k

Step 3 Step 4
Perform the addition Calculate magnitude
A + 2B + C = 9i + 6j - 4k
|A + 2B + C| = √92 + 62 + (- 4)2 = √133

Three given forces are acting at a point

F1 = 10N; 53 o east of north
F2 = 20√2N; 45 o south of west
F3 = 15N; 37 o east of south
Find the resultant vector in composed form.

Solution
Step 1 Step 2
Visualise the given Forces Resolve the given Forces
y 1
Step Step 2 o
F1 Forces
Visualise the given
F1 =Resolve
10sin53 i + 10cos53oj
the given Forces
y = 8i + 6j o o
F1 F1 = 10sin53 i + 10cos53 j
= 8i + 6j
53o F2 = -20√2cos45o i - 20√2sin45 j
o

53o =F2-20 i - 20j o i - 20√2sin45 j

= -20√2cos45
o
x
45o x = -20 i - 20j
o
45
37 o F3 = 15sin37o io - 15cos37ooj
37 o F = 15sin37 i - 15cos37 j
= 39 i - 12j
= 9 i - 12j

F2 F2 F3 F3

Step 3 F1F1
Step 3 Step 4Step 4
Add the respective Recompose the Forces.
Add the respective Recompose the Forces.
components of the 53o o
components of the
Forces 53
Forces F1 = -3i -26j
F1 = 8i + 6j
F1 =|F|-3i -26j
= √(-3)2 + (-26)2
45o
F1 = 8i + 6j F = -20 i - 20j |F| = √(-3)|F|
2
+= (-26)
√685
2
2 45o 37 o
F2 = -20 i - 20j
F3 = 9 i - 12j |F| = √685
37 o
F3 = 9 i - 12jF = - 3 i -26j
F2 F3
F = - 3 i -26j
F2 F3
y
Inorder to find the direction of the resultant, plot the
resultant in X Y coordinate system. 3 x
θ
−1  26 
=θ tan
=   83.4
0

 3  26
So the resultant vector is 83.4° south to the west.
F
04

F2
5 F1
4√2
Find the resultant of two vectors F1 and F2
shown in the figure 37 o
45o

Solution

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

List the vector Resolve the vectors Add the respective
|F 1 | = 4√2 and |F 2 | = 5 F1x = 4 and F1Y = 4 components of the vectors
F1 = 4i + 4j F1 + F2
F2x = -3 and F2Y = 4 = (4 - 3)i + (4 + 4)j
F2 = -3i + 4j = i +8j

Vector subtraction

𝑩
To subtract B from A , we can add 𝜽
negative vector of B to A .
𝝅−𝜽 𝑨
−𝑩
• Magnitude of the resultant 𝑨 − 𝑩 can be obtained by S −𝑩
𝑨 − 𝑩 = 𝑨 + (- 𝑩 ) = S
| 𝑨 −Example
𝑩 | = √(𝑨𝟐 + 𝑩𝟐 + 𝟐𝑨𝑩 𝐜𝐨𝐬 (𝝅−𝜽)
𝑨

| 𝑨 − 𝑩 | = √(𝑨𝟐 + 𝑩𝟐 − 𝟐𝑨𝑩 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽

• Direction of the resultant 𝑨 − 𝑩: Let the resultant make

an angle ⍺ with 𝑨. 𝑩

𝑩 sin 𝜽 𝑨 𝜽
𝐭𝐚𝐧 ⍺ =
𝑨−𝑩 cos 𝜽 α
𝜽 𝝅 − 𝜽
• Vector Subtraction - Component Form
 
Let A =Ax iˆ + Ay ˆj + Az kˆ and B =Bx iˆ + By ˆj + Bz kˆ −𝑩
S =𝑨−𝑩
then
 
A − B= ( Ax − Bx ) iˆ + ( Ay − By ) ˆj + ( Az − Bz ) kˆ
05

If the sum of two unit vectors is also a unit vector, find the magnitude of their difference.
a. √6 b. √5 c. √3 d. √8

Solution

| 𝑅|=| 𝐴+𝐵|
1 = √1 + 1 + 2 cos 𝜃
| 𝐴−𝐵|= 1+1− 2×− ( 1
2 ( |𝐴 + 𝐵| = √𝐴2 + 𝐵2 + 2𝐴𝐵 cos 𝜃
| 𝐴 − 𝐵 | = √3
1 |𝐴 − 𝐵| = √𝐴2 + 𝐵2 − 2𝐴𝐵 cos 𝜃
𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 = −
2

Find the resultant of the three vectors 𝑂𝐴, 𝑂𝐵, and, 𝑂𝐶 as shown in the figure. Radius of
the circle is 𝑅.

Solution
𝐶

𝐵
|𝑂𝐴| = |𝑂𝐶|
𝑂𝐴 + 𝑂𝐶 is along 𝑂𝐵 and its magnitude is 45°
45°
2𝑅 cos 45° = 𝑅√2 𝐴
𝑂
(𝑂𝐴 + 𝑂𝐶) + 𝑂𝐵 is along 𝑂𝐵 and its magnitude is
𝑹 √𝟐 + 𝑹 = 𝐑 (𝟏 + √𝟐)

Two vectors have magnitude 𝟑 unit and 𝟒 unit respectively. What should be the angle
between them if the magnitude of the resultant is
a. 𝟏 unit b. 𝟓 unit

Solution

𝑅2 = 𝐴2 + 𝐵2 + 2𝐴𝐵 cos 𝜃
𝑅 = 1 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑅 = 5 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡
12 = 32 + 42 + (2 × 3 × 4 cos 𝜃) 52 = 32 + 42 + (2 × 3 × 4 cos 𝜃)
24 cos 𝜃 = −24 24 cos 𝜃 = 0
cos 𝜃 = −1 cos 𝜃 = 0

𝜃 = 180° 𝜃 = 90°