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SCALAR VS VECTOR
RECAP GR 10...

• Definitions ???

VECTORS

(P. 20 - 29)
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SCALAR VS VECTOR (p. 20) SCALAR VS VECTOR

RECAP GR 10... RECAP GR 10...

• Definitions ??? • Examples ???

Scalar = physical quantity with magnitude only

Vector = physical quantity with magnitude &
direction

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SCALAR VS VECTOR Graphical representation of Vectors

RECAP GR 10...

• Examples ???

• NB! IF NOT GIVEN, choose a + direction...

Scalars = distance, speed
Vectors = displacement, velocity, forces etc.

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Resultant vectors - 1 dimension (p. 21) Resultant vectors (p. 21)

• Resultant = vector quantity that has same effect as • Quick practice:
two or more vectors combined

• FR = F1 + F2 ...

• NB!! Choose + direction & take into account!

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Tail to tail method (p. 21) Tail to tail method (p. 21)
• Different than before... • How does it differ?

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Resultant - perpendicular vectors Resultant - perpendicular vectors

(p. 22) (p. 22)

• Plot following on Cartesian plane: horizontal force of 30 N • Plot following on Cartesian plane: horizontal force of 30 N
and vertical force of 40 N (scale 1mm = 1 N) and vertical force of 40 N (scale 1mm = 1 N)

1.) HEAD TO TAIL METHOD 1.) TAIL TO HEAD METHOD

– Draw Cartesian plane – Use pythagoras to
calculate magnitude... &
– FR = arrow from free
– Trigonometry for the
TAIL to free HEAD
direction

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Resultant - perpendicular vectors Resultant - perpendicular vectors

(p. 21)

• Plot following on Cartesian plane: horizontal force of 30 N • Plot following on cartesian plane: horizontal force of 30 N
and vertical force of 40 N (scale 1mm = 1 N) and vertical force of 40 N

Magnitude: Direction:
– Ɵ = angle from x-axis
R2 = Rx2 + Ry2
R2 = (30)2 + (40)2 Tan Ɵ =
R2 = 2500 Tan Ɵ =
R = 50 N
Tan Ɵ = 1,333...
Ɵ = 53,13° (2nd function tan 1.333)

R = 50 N at 53,13°

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Resultant - perpendicular vectors Resultant of more than 2 vectors (p. 24)

(p. 21)

• Plot following on Cartesian plane: horizontal force of 30 N • Co-linear vectors are in one dimension & can simply be
and vertical force of 40 N (scale 1mm = 1 N) added together

2.) TAIL TO TAIL METHOD

– Draw Cartesian plane
– ALL tails go through
the origin
– FR = diagonal of rectangle
formed by 2 vectors
– Calculate magnitude &
direction the same way...

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Resultant of more than 2 vectors (p. 24) Resultant of more than 2 vectors (p. 24)
• Co-linear vectors are in one dimension & can simply be • Co-linear vectors are in one dimension & can simply be
added together added together
• Worked example: 5 N up, 2 N down, 2 N right & 3 N right • Example problem: 5 N up, 2 N down, 2 N right & 3 N right
(+ = up and right)
– Net X & Y components (sum of vectors)
– Draw on Cartesian plane
Rx = Fx1 + Fx2
– Calculate the net component
Rx and Ry Rx = + 2 + 3
– Calculate the Resultant vector Rx = + 5 N right

RY = FY1 + FY2
RY = + 5 + (-2)
RY = + 3 N up

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Resultant of more than 2 vectors (p. 24) Class / Homework

• Example problem: 5 N up, 2 N down, 2 N right & 3 N right • Act 1, p. 21: 2 & 3
– Calculate resultant (Rx = + 5 N right & RY = + 3 N up) • Act 1, p. 23: 2, 3 & 4.1

R2 = RX2 + RY2
• Revisit adding co-linear vectors (p 24/25...)
R2 = 52 + 32
R2 = 34 – Graphical method to determine resultant
R = 5.83 N

Tan Ɵ = Ry / Rx = +3 / +5
= 0.60
Ɵ = 30.96 °

R = 5.83 N, 30.96 °

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Forces @ an angle (p. 26) Components of vectors (p. 28)

• How to calculate resultant of 3 non-linear forces that are • Components of a vector = vectors that together has the
not perpendicular... same effect as the original vector
– Practical: forces board
– Draw vector (R) on Cartesian plane
• Forces are in balance: Resultant is zero & if drawn head-to- – X-component: Rx = R cos Ɵ (cos Ɵ = Rx / R)
tail it forms a triangle. – Y-component: RY = R sin Ɵ (sin Ɵ = RY / R)
– If the diagram of a number of vectors form a closed diagram, the
resultant is zero

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Components of vectors (p. 28) Class / Homework

• Worked example 1 • Act 1, p. 25: 1, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4 & 3
Resolve the following vector into its horizontal and vertical • Act 2, p. 27: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1 & 2.2
components: 250 N at 60° to the horizontal.
• Act 1, p. 29: 2.1, 2.2, 3, 4.1 – 4.5
Rx = R cos Ɵ
Rx = 250 cos 60
Rx = 125 N right

RY = R sin Ɵ
RY = 250 sin 60 OR
RY = 216.51 N up

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Forces (p.30) Forces (p.30)

• A Force = push or a pull exerted on an object. • Weight = gravitational force that the Earth exerts on an
Measured in Newton (N). object that is on OR near its surface.
• Normal force = is force exerted by a surface on an
object in contact with it, always perpendicular to w = mg
surface
w = weight (N)
m = mass (kg)
g = gravitational acceleration (m.s-2)

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Representing forces (p.31) Net forces (p.31)

• Net force (Fnet) = combined effect of all forces acting on
• Force diagrams = Object is a box.
Forces on object an object.
represented as arrows.
• NB! Forces = vectors...

• Free body diagrams = object is shown as a

dot. Forces are
arrows pointing
away from dot.
(Label arrows)

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Components of weight (p. 32) Components of weight:

inclined plane (p. 32)
• NB! Weight = Force = Vector
• Perpendicular component of weight is same size as the
• Weight ALWAYS downwards... normal force, at right angle to the inclined plane
• Normal force ALWAYS perpendicular to surface... – The bigger the angle of the incline, the smaller the component

• The parallel component of weight

acts down the slope
– The bigger the angle of the slope,
the bigger this component

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Example 1: inclined plane (p. 32) Example 1: inclined plane (p. 32)
• Object with weight of 15 N on a slope that is 30° to the • Object with weight of 15 N on a slope that is 30° to the
horizontal. Calculate the perpendicular & parallel horizontal. Calculate the perpendicular & parallel
components components

Ɵ
wy= w cos Ɵ
wy= 15 cos 30
wy= 12,99 N @ right angle to slope, down

wx = w sin Ɵ
wx = 15 sin 30
• Perpendicular component (wy) = w cos Ɵ
wx = 7,5 N down the slope
• Parallel component (wx) = w sin Ɵ
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Example 2: inclined plane (p. 33) Example 2: inclined plane (p. 33)
Trolley held stationary with spring balance that reads 4 N. Angle Trolley held stationary with spring balance that reads 4 N. Angle
of slope is 25°. Calculate the trolley’s weight... of slope is 25°. Calculate the trolley’s weight...
Up the slope = negative direction Up the slope = negative direction

wx = w sin Ɵ (wx / w = sin Ɵ)

Trolley is stationary... Thus Fnet in x-direction must be zero. w = wx / sin Ɵ
Spring balance = - 4N (4N up the slope), w = 4 / sin 25
thus: Wx = +4N (4N down the slope) w = 9,46 N down
0
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Class / Homework Frictional forces (p. 34)

• Act 1, p. 31: 2.1 (free body diagram only), 2.2 & 3.2 • Frictional force (f) = a force that opposes the motion
of an object in contact with a surface.
• Activity 1, p. 33
- nr: 1 & 2 - Static friction (fs) = force when an object is standing still, must
be overcome to make object move.

-Maximum static friction (fsmax) = friction just before object

starts to move, thus max
frictional force of stationary
object.

- Kinetic friction (fk) = force when an object moves or slides over

a surface.

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Cause of friction (p. 35) Coefficients of friction (p. 35)

• Graph for fsmax and N (or FN) for two surfaces in contact:
• Rough surfaces – parts of the surfaces interlock

- Shows that variables are

• Smooth surfaces – microscopic bumps and dips, bumps are proportional to each other
small but pressure on each other is large therefore bumps
tend to bond together.

• fsmax is higher for rougher surfaces.

• Coefficient of static friction (μs) = ratio of
fsmax / FN for the two surfaces concerned. (no unit)
• fk < fs because bonds are breaking & reforming as
max

object moves - μs = fsmax and fsmax = μs N

N

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Coefficients of friction (p. 35) Worked example 1 (p. 36)

• Gradient of the graph gives us the coefficient of static • The max static friction (fsmax) for a block placed on a horizontal
friction: board was 3,2 N and the normal force (N) was 1,5 N. Calculate
μs = Δ fsmax (no unit) the coefficient of friction (μs).
ΔN
Variables: fsmax = 3,2 N
• For a body at rest frictional N = 1,5 N
force is less than maximum μs = ?
static friction, thus:
μs = Δ fsmax
ΔN
f s < μs N μs = 3,2 / 1,5
μs = 2,13
( fsmax = μs N )

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Worked example 1 (p. 36) Worked example 2 (p. 38)

• The max static friction (fsmax) for a block placed on a horizontal board was 3,2N and • Block in example 1 is now at an inclined plane that is 30° to
the normal force (N) was 1,5 N. Calculate the fsmax for an object with a the horizontal. Calculate the maximum static friction if the
weight of 20 N with the same surface, placed on same board. weight is 20 N.

Variables: μs = 2,13 (same surfaces)

Variables: fsmax = ? N = ? (became less, due to angle)
N = 20 N w = 20N
μs = 2,13 fsmax = ?

N = magnitude of wy
fsmax = μs N
wy = w cos 30
fsmax = 2,13 x 20
wy = 20 cos 30
fsmax = 42,6 N
wy = 17,32 N towards the board

Thus: N = 17, 32N towards the block

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Worked example 2 (p. 38) The coefficient of kinetic friction (p. 39)
• Block in example 1 is now at an inclined plane that is 30° to • Kinetic friction depends on the nature of the surfaces. It is
the horizontal. Calculate the maximum static friction if the proportional to the magnitude of the normal force (N):
weight is 20N. fk = μkN

Variables: μs = 2,13 (same surfaces) OR rearrange the equation...

N = 17,32 N
μk = fk
fsmax = ?
N
fsmax = μs N When an object slides over a surface the frictional force is less
fsmax = 2,13 x 17,32 than the maximum static friction. As a result the coefficient of
kinetic friction is less than coefficient of max static friction.
fsmax = 36,89 N up the plane
μk < μs

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