Physics 101

Lecture 2
Vectors
Coordinate Systems
q Cartesian
coordinate system
q Polar coordinate
system

January 21, 2015

 q From Cartesian to
Polar coordinate
system
Direction:
q From Polar to
Cartesian system Magnitude

Answer: (4.30 m, 216)

January 21, 2015
 Vector vs. Scalar Review
A library is located 0.5 mi from you.
Can you point where exactly it is?
You also
need to
know the
direction in
which you
should
walk to the
library!
q All physical quantities encountered in this text will be either a scalar or
a vector
q A vector quantity has both magnitude (number value + unit) and
direction
q A scalar is completely specified by only a magnitude (number value +
unit) January 21, 2015
 Vector and Scalar
Quantities
q Vectors q Scalars:
n Displacement n Distance
n Velocity (magnitude and n Speed (magnitude of
direction!) velocity)
n Acceleration n Temperature
n Force n Mass
n Momentum n Energy
n Weight n Time

To describe a vector we need more information than to

describe a scalar! Therefore vectors are more complex!
January 21, 2015
 Important Notation
q To describe vectors we will use:
n The bold font: Vector A is A !
n Or an arrow above the vector: A

n In the pictures, we will always show

vectors as arrows
n Arrows point the direction

n To describe the magnitude of a

vector we
! will use absolute value
sign: A or just A,
n Magnitude is always positive, the
magnitude of a vector is equal to
the length of a vector.
January 21, 2015
 Properties of Vectors
q Equality of Two Vectors
n Two vectors are equal if they have the
same magnitude and the same direction
q Movement of vectors in a diagram
n Any vector can be moved parallel to
itself without being affected
q Negative Vectors
n Two vectors are negative if they have the same
magnitude but are 180 apart (opposite directions)
! ! ! ! !
( )
A = -B; A + - A = 0 A !
B
January 21, 2015
 Describing Vectors Algebraically
Vectors: Described by the number, units and direction!

Vectors: Can be described by their magnitude and direction.

For example: Your displacement is 1.5 m at an angle of 250.
Can be described by components? For example: your
displacement is 1.36 m in the positive x direction and 0.634 m
in the positive y direction.
January 21, 2015
 Components of a Vector
q The x-component of a vector is
the projection along the x-axis
Ax
cos q = Ax = A cos q
A
q The y-component of a vector is
the projection along the y-axis
Ay
sin q = Ay = A sin q
A
Then,
q ! ! q
! ! ! !
A = Ax + Ay A = Ax + Ay
January 21, 2015
 More About Components
q The components are the legs of
the right triangle whose
hypotenuse is A
ì Ax = A cos(q )
í æ Ay ö
A
î Ay = A sin(q ) = A 2
x + Ay
2
and q = tan ç
-1
÷
! è Ax ø
ì A = ( A )2 + (A )2
ïï x y

í Ay -1 æ
Ay ö
ïtan (q ) = or q = tan çç ÷÷ q Or,
ïî Ax è Ax ø

January 21, 2015

 Unit Vectors
q Components of a vector are vectors
! ! !
A = Ax + Ay
q Unit vectors i-hat, j-hat, k-hat
iˆ ® x ˆj ® y kˆ ® z
q q Unit vectors used to specify direction
q Unit vectors have a magnitude of 1
y
q Then !
j
A = Axiˆ + Ay ˆj
i
! !
x !
A Magnitude
= A x + A+ ySign
k
z Unit vector

January 21, 2015

Adding Vectors Algebraically
q Consider two vectors
!
A = Axiˆ + Ay ˆj
!
B = Bxiˆ + By ˆj
q Then
! !
A + B = ( Ax iˆ + Ay ˆj ) + ( Bx iˆ + B y ˆj )
= ( Ax + Bx )iˆ + ( Ay + B y ) ˆj
! ! !
q If C = A + B =! ( Ax +! Bx )iˆ +!( Ay + By ) ˆj
q so C x = AxA+ B=x A xC+y =AAy y + B y
January 21, 2015
Example 1: Operations with Vectors
q Vector A is described algebraically as (-3, 5), while
vector B is (4, -2). Find the value of magnitude and
direction of the sum (C) of the vectors A and B.
! !
A = -3iˆ + 5 ˆj B = 4iˆ - 2 ˆj
! ! !
C = A + B = (-3 + 4)iˆ + (5 - 2) ˆj = 1iˆ + 3 ˆj
Cx = 1 Cy = 3
2 2 1/ 2
C = (C x + C y ) = (1 + 3 ) = 3.16
2 2 1/ 2

Cy
q = tan ( ) = tan -1 3 = 71.56 !
-1

Cx
January 21, 2015
Example 2 :

January 21, 2015

Example 3 :

January 21, 2015

Multiplying Vectors

January 21, 2015

Scalar Product

January 21, 2015

 Cross Product
® ! ! ! !
B
C = A´ B B sin q

q The cross product of two vectors says !

something about how perpendicular they are. q A
q Magnitude: ! ! !
®
C = A ´ B = AB sin q A sin q
y
n q is smaller angle between the vectors
n Cross product of any parallel vectors = zero j i
n Cross product is maximum for perpendicular x
vectors k
z
n Cross products of Cartesian unit vectors:
i
iˆ ´ ˆj = kˆ; iˆ ´ kˆ = - ˆj; ˆj ´ kˆ = iˆ
iˆ ´ iˆ = 0; ˆj ´ ˆj = 0; kˆ ´ kˆ = 0 j k
December 18, 2018
 Cross Product
q Direction: C perpendicular to
both A and B (right-hand rule)
n Place A and B tail to tail
n Right hand, not left hand
n Four fingers are pointed along
the first vector A
n “sweep” from first vector A
into second vector B through
the smaller angle between ! ! ! !
them A´ B = B ´ A ?
n Your outstretched thumb ! ! ! !
points the direction of C A ´ B = -B ´ A
q First practice
! ! ! !
A´ B = B ´ A ?
December 18, 2018
 More about Cross Product
q The quantity ABsinq is the area of the
parallelogram formed by A and B
q The direction of C is perpendicular to
the plane formed by A and B
q Cross product is not commutative
! ! ! !
A ´ B = -B ´ A
! ! ! ! ! ! !
q The distributive law A ´ (B + C) = A ´ B + A ´ C
! !
d ! ! dA ! ! dB
q The derivative of cross product
obeys the chain rule dt
(
A´ B =
dt
)´ B + A´
dt
q Calculate cross product
! !
A ´ B = ( Ay Bz - Az By )iˆ + ( Az Bx - Ax Bz ) ˆj + ( Ax By - Ay Bx )kˆ
December 18, 2018
 Examples of Cross Products
Ex. 4: ! ! ! !
Find: A´ B ? Where: A = 2iˆ + 3 ˆj B = -iˆ + 2 ˆj
! !
Solution: A ´ B = (2iˆ + 3 ˆj ) ´ (-iˆ + 2 ˆj ) i
= 2iˆ ´ (-iˆ) + 2iˆ ´ 2 ˆj + 3 ˆj ´ (-iˆ) + 3 ˆj ´ 2 ˆj
j k
= 0 + 4iˆ ´ ˆj - 3 ˆj ´ iˆ + 0 = 4kˆ + 3kˆ = 7kˆ
Ex.5: Calculate !×# given a force and its
location ! !
ˆ ˆ
F = (2i + 3 j ) N r = (4iˆ + 5 ˆj )m iˆ ˆj kˆ
! ! ! !
Solution: r ´ F = (4iˆ + 5 ˆj ) ´ (2iˆ + 3 ˆj ) A´ B = 4 5 0
2 3 0
= 4iˆ ´ 2iˆ + 4iˆ ´ 3 ˆj + 5 ˆj ´ 2iˆ + 5 ˆj ´ 3 ˆj
= 0 + 4iˆ ´ 3 ˆj + 5 ˆj ´ 2iˆ + 0 = 12kˆ - 10kˆ = 2kˆ (Nm)
December 18, 2018
Example 6:

January 21, 2015

Example 7:

January 21, 2015

 Summary
ìï Ax = A cos(q )
q Polar coordinates of vector A (A, q) í
ïî Ay = A sin(q )
q Cartesian coordinates (Ax, Ay) ì
( ) ( )
2 2
ïï A = A + A
q Relations between them: x y

í
-1 æ
Ay Ay ö
q Beware of tan 180-degree ambiguity tan (q ) = ï or q = tan ç ÷
ïî A x è Ax ø
q Unit vectors: A = Axiˆ + Ay ˆj + Az kˆ
q Addition of vectors: C! = A! + B! = ( A + B )iˆ + ( A + B ) ˆj
x x y y
C x = Ax + Bx C y = Ay + B y
q Scalar multiplication of a vector: aA = aAxiˆ + aAy ˆj

January 21, 2015

Problem 1:

A particle undergoes three consecutive displacements: !! = 15! + 30! + 12! !, !! = 23! − 14! − 5! ! and !! = −13! + 15! !. Find
the components of the resultant displacement and its magnitude.

Ans: ! = 25! + 31! + 7! ! and ! = 40!

Problem 2:

The polar coordinates of a point are ! = 5.5! and ! = 240° . What are the Cartesian coordinates of this point?

Sln: ! = !"#$% = 5.5! !"#240° = 5.5! −0.5 = −2.75!

(-2.75, -4.76)m
! = !"#$% = 5.5! sin 240° = 5.5! −0.866 = −4.76!

Problem 3:

If ! = (3! − 4! + 4!) ve ! = 2! + 4! − 8!);

!
(a) Express ! in unit vector notation, ! = (2! − !).
!

(b) Find the magnitude and direction of !.

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Problem
Problem

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