2

VECTORS

1. differentiate vectors and scalar quantities;

2. perform addition of vector; and
3. rewrite a vector in component form.

Hello learners! Welcome to our lesson for this week which is all about Vectors. In this module you will
learn that we come into contact with many physical quantities in the natural world on a daily basis.
For example, things like time, mass, weight, force, and electric charge, are physical quantities with
which we are all familiar. We know that time passes and physical objects have mass. Things have
weight due to gravity. We exert forces when we open doors, walk along the street and kick balls. We
experience electric charge directly through static shocks in winter and through using anything which
runs on electricity. Are you excited? Come on, let's get started!

ACTIVITY NO. 1 My Neighborhood

Refer to the community map below. Identify the correct cardinal directions asked in the
following questions.
1.You are at the police station. What can building do you see at your east? ___________
2.In which direction will you go if you want to read books you don’t have at home? ______
3. You want to send a mail to your friend, which direction will you take if you are currently at school?
____________________
ACTIVITY NO. 2
To test your understanding of this distinction, consider the following quantities listed below.
Categorize each quantity as being either a vector or a scalar.
1. 5 m 4. 20◦ Celsius
2. 30 m/sec, East 5. 256 bytes
3. 5 km, North 6. 4000 Calories

SCALAR VECTOR

2.1 Scalars and Vectors

Some physical quantities such as time, temperature, mass and
density, can be described by a single number unit. These
quantities are what we call scalars, quantities that have
magnitude or size only. There are no directional components in
a scalar quantity.
For example, a person buys a tub of margarine which is
labelled with a mass of 500g.
The mass of the tub of margarine is a scalar quantity. It only
needs one number to describe it, in this case, 500 g.
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.
For example, a car is travelling east along a freeway at 100 Image source:
https://mssmithsechs.weebly.co
km/h. m/uploads/1/1/6/0/116011381/sc
alar-vector_orig.jpg
What we have here is a vector called the velocity. The car is
moving at 100 km/h (this is the magnitude) and we know where
it is going – east (this is the direction). These two quantities, the
speed and direction of the car, (a magnitude and a direction)
together form a vector we call velocity.
2.2 Vector Notation
Vectors are different to scalars and must have their own notation. There are many ways of writing the
symbol for a vector. In this book vectors will be shown by symbols with an arrow pointing to the right
above it. For example, ~F, W~ and ~v represent the vectors of force, weight and velocity, meaning
they have both a magnitude and a direction.
The simplest vector quantity is displacement, or change of position. A vector that represents a
displacement is called a displacement vector. If a particle changes its position by moving from A to
B in the figure below, we say that it undergoes a displacement from A to B, which we represent with
an arrow pointing from A to B.

Figure 3.1
A

2.3 Adding Vectors Geometrically

Suppose that a particle moves from A to B and then later from B to C. We can represent its overall
displacement (no matter what its actual path as shown on the figure below in figures 2.2 and 2.3) with
two successive displacement vectors, AB and BC. The net displacement of these two displacements
is a single displacement from A to C. We call AC the vector sum (or resultant) of the vectors AB and
BC. This sum is not the usual algebraic sum.

Figure 3.2 Figure 3.3

Comparing the two figures above, both fig. 3.2 and 3.3 have two vectors which are AB and BC
(represented by strainght arrows). Also, they have same resultant or vector sum regardless of what
their actual paths are, which is the AC (represented by dashed arrow).

2.4 Components of a Vector

In situations in which vectors are directed at angles to the customary coordinate axes, a useful
mathematical trick will be employed to transform the vector into two parts with each part being
directed along the coordinate axes. For example, a vector that is directed northwest can be thought of
as having two parts - a northward part and a westward part. A vector that is directed upward and
rightward can be thought of as having two parts - an upward part and a rightward part.
Any vector directed in two dimensions can be thought of as having an influence in two different
directions. That is, it can be thought of as having two parts. Each part of a two-dimensional vector is
known as a component. The components of a vector depict the influence of that vector in a given
direction. The combined influence of the two components is equivalent to the influence of the single
two-dimensional vector. The single two-dimensional vector could be replaced by the two components.
Example 1:
What are the components of vector (v) which has a magnitude
of 8 and a direction angle of 30 degrees with respect to x-axis?

Given:
v=8 units , θ=30 ̊
Solution:
It helps to draw the vector in the cartesian coordinate plane.

8 units

θ = 30◦
Y

v=¿vxvy v=( v cosθ , v sinθ )

¿ ( 8 · cos 30 ◦, 8 · sin30 ◦ )

(
¿ 8· √ ,8·
2
3 1
2 )
v=(4 √ 3 , 4)

2.5 Addition of Vectors Using Components

If we have the component of the vectors, we can use these components to add them
analytically. This, when compared to adding them graphically, will result in an accurate answer as we
can convert these vectors into numerically.
Example1:
What is the resultant vector of a 3 Newton force vector directed east, and 4 Newton force vector
directed north?
Solution:

If you have two vectors that are perpendicular each other, you can find the resultant vector by finding
the length of the hypotenuse of the right triangle that is formed.

By Pythagorean theorem, we know that the

resultant vector is
F r= √ F 21+ F 22

Let F 1=3 N and F 2=4 N

therefore, the resultant vector is
F r= √ ( 3 N ) + ( 4 N )
2 2

F r= √ 9 N 2 +16 N 2= √ 25 N 2
F r=5 N

We have now found the magnitude of the force vector, to find the direction, we get the angle by
θ=tan−1
y
x ()
θ=tan−1 ( 43 )=53.13 °
Therefore, the resultant vector F r=5 Newton, E 30° N

Example 2:
In this example, we will try to add two non-perpendicular vectors analytically.

You are the pilot of an interstellar spacecraft. As you plot your journey through space you need to
consider all the forces that will be acting on your vessel. On the current leg of your journey, you will
be passing through a region of space that lies between two massive star systems. Filled with the
mass of all those planets and the central star, the force of gravity emanating from those star systems
is considerable and must be considered.

One of those star systems produces a gravitational force of 3000 N directed 35° W of S. The other
star system produces a gravitational force of 4500 n directed 28° N of E.

What is the resultant vector of the two gravitational forces?

Solution:

Let ⃗
A=3000 N , 35 ° W of S and ⃗ B=4500 N ,28 ° N of E
and ⃗
G the resultant vector of the two

Convert both vectors into its component form that is

For vector ⃗A it is important to remember that we count the angle from the x-axis, so the angle from
the x-axis would be 180 ° +55 °=235 °

⃗
A=( A x , A y )
⃗
A=( A cos 235 ° , A sin 235 ° )

A x = A ⋅cos 235 °=3000 ⋅−0.5736

A x =−1720.73 N

A y =A ⋅sin 235 °=3000 ⋅−0.8192

A y =−2457.46 N

For vector ⃗
B since, the reference angle is already on the x-axis, there is no need to change the
angle.
 ⃗
B=(B x , B y )
⃗
B=( B cos 28 ° , B sin 28 ° )
Bx =B ⋅cos 28 ° =4500 ⋅0.8829 B y =B ⋅sin 28° =4500 ⋅0.4695
Bx =3973.05 N B y =2112.75 N
Get the component of the resultant vector ⃗ G by adding the components of ⃗ A and ⃗
B with respect to
their x and y components
⃗
G =(G x , G y )
G x =A x + B x G y = A y + B y
G x =−1720.73 N + 3973.05 N G y =−2457.46 N +2112.75 N
G x =2252.32 N G y =−344.71 N
⃗
G=(2252.32 N ,−344.71 N)

To convert the components back to vector, use the Pythagorean theorem to get the magnitude of the

vector ⃗
G and tan ( )
−1 G y
Gx
to get the direction of the resultant vector.

G= √ G x +G y =√ ( 2252.32 N ) + (−344.71 N ) =2278.54 N

2 2 2 2

θ=tan
( )
−1 G y
Gx
=¿ tan(
−1 −344.71 N
2252.32 N) =−8.7 ° ¿

The angle θ is just the reference angle, if we want this to be positive, we can convert this to the
appropriate bearing, which is 8.7 ° S of E or E 8.7 ° S

Therefore, the resultant vector of the two gravitational forces is 2278.54 N, 8.7° S of E

A. Multiple Choice. Read and analyze each item. Encircle the letter of the correct answer.
1. An Arrow with a Magnitude and Direction
A. Refractor C. Tip to Tail
B. Scalar D. Vector

2. A deer running 15 meters per second due west. Vector or scalar?

A. Scalar B. Vector

3. What is the sum of multiple vectors called?

A. Force C. Resultant Vector
B. Scalar D. Vector Combination

4. Find the magnitude.

A. 0
B. 5
C. -5
D. 4

5. Which of the following is a vector?

A. Distance C. Speed
B. Position D. Velocity

6. Which of the following units is a scalar?

A. 45 m/s due north C. -9.8 m/s2
B. 3600 seconds D. 4500 Newton, 30° N of W

7. Which the following units is a vector?

A. 120 GB C. 73 m/s, [E] 37° [S]
B. 5.96 × 10 m5
D. 240 hours

8. What are the components of the vector ⃗v =5 m/s, [E] 30° [N]
A. v x =3 m/s, v y =4 m/s
B. v x =4 m/s, v y =3 m/s
C. v x =−3 m/s, v y =4 m/s
D. v x =−4 m/s, v y =3 m/s

9. Suppose a vector has a component of F x =8660 N and F y =5000 N , what is the

direction of the vector in its reference angle.
A. 30° C. 60°
B. 45° D. 90°

10. Suppose a vector has a component of A x =¿ 70 units and A y =¿ 240 units, what
is the magnitude of vector ⃗
A?
A. 70 units C. 250 units
B. 240 units D. 310 units