Vectors

Vectors are directed quantities. That is, they have both a direction and a magnitude. We denote them
with an arrow on top. 𝐴⃗, 𝐵
⃗⃗, 𝐶⃗. When the vector sign is not placed on top it means the length or magnitude

of the vector. 𝐴, 𝐵, 𝐶. Examples in physics are; position 𝑟⃗, displacement 𝑠⃗, velocity 𝑣⃗ and force 𝐹⃗ .

Quantities with just a magnitude are known as scalars. Examples in physics are; mass 𝑚, time 𝑡 and
temperature 𝑇.

Some books (notably Resnick Halliday) uses the notation of boldface for vectors 𝑨 and normal print for
scalars and magnitudes of vectors 𝑚, 𝐴. This is not acceptable because as you do not have full typesetting
capabilities and boldface control when handwriting, you end up with a continuum of blackness.

Vector addition

Vectors can be added and subtracted. To add bring the tail of second vector to the tip of first. The vector
joining the tail of first to the tip of second is the sum. In the above figure;

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝐶 = ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝐵 + ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐵𝐶
To subtract bring the tails of the vectors together. The vector joining the tips is the difference. In the above
figure;

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐵𝐶 = ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝐶 − ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝐵

If you add two vectors 𝐴⃗ and 𝐵

⃗⃗ and the length of the result is 0 we say 𝐴⃗ = −𝐵
⃗⃗. 𝐴⃗ and ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
−𝐴 have equal
magnitudes 𝐴 but opposite directions.

Multiplication of a vector with a scalar and unit vectors

We can multiply a vector by a scalar. 𝐴⃗ = 𝑠𝐵

⃗⃗. The new vector has the same direction but its magnitude is
the product of the magnitude of the vector with the scalar. 𝐴 = 𝑠𝐵.

A unit vector 𝑢̂ is just a sign indicating direction. It does not have units (m, kg, s etc) and its length is 1. If
𝑎̂ is a unit vector in the direction of 𝐴⃗ then 𝐴⃗ = 𝐴𝑎̂. Here the magnitude information about this vector is
in the scalar 𝐴 and the direction information is in the unit vector 𝑎̂. You can think of the hat as the tip of
an arrow. So a full arrow is placed on a vector 𝐴⃗ because it has both direction and magnitude info. Just
the tip is placed on 𝑎̂ because it has only direction information.

Unit vectors in the direction of the axes are used very commonly and are denoted by special letters. In
our book the vectors in 𝑥, 𝑦 and 𝑧 directions are denoted by 𝑖̂, 𝑗̂ and 𝑘̂ respectively. We will follow this
notation in Physics I and II.
Component notation

Using unit vectors, we can write a vector as the sum of vectors in the directions of the axes.

𝐴⃗ = 𝐴𝑥 𝑖̂ + 𝐴𝑦 𝑗̂ + 𝐴𝑧 𝑘̂

Here 𝐴𝑥 𝑖̂ is the component vector in the 𝑥 direction and 𝐴𝑥 is the 𝑥 component of vector 𝐴⃗. The
component notation has the advantage that as each component is a scalar we can use all the tools of
scalar arithmetic and algebra for each of these components. For example; vector addition and
multiplication with scalars become;

⃗⃗ = (𝑠𝐴𝑥 + 𝑘𝐵𝑥 )𝑖̂ + (𝑠𝐴𝑦 + 𝑘𝐵𝑦 )𝑗̂ + (𝑠𝐴𝑧 + 𝑘𝐵𝑧 )𝑘̂

𝐶⃗ = 𝑠𝐴⃗ + 𝑘𝐵

Later in the semester we shall integrate and differentiate components of these vectors.

Scalar (dot) product of two vectors

Two vectors can be multiplied to give a scalar result. By definition scalar product is the product of
magnitudes multiplied by the cos of the angle between the vectors. This product is denoted by (∙) for this
reason it is also known as the “dot product”. Order of multiplication does not change the result.

𝑠 = 𝐴⃗ ∙ 𝐵 ⃗⃗ ∙ 𝐴⃗ = 𝐴𝐵 cos 𝜃𝐴𝐵
⃗⃗ = 𝐵

Dot product of parallel vectors is the product of their magnitudes and the dot product of perpendicular
vectors is 0.

In terms of unit vectors 𝑖̂ ∙ 𝑖̂ = 𝑗̂ ∙ 𝑗̂ = 𝑘̂ ∙ 𝑘̂ = 1 and 𝑖̂ ∙ 𝑗̂ = 𝑗̂ ∙ 𝑖̂ = 𝑖̂ ∙ 𝑘̂ = 𝑘̂ ∙ 𝑖̂ = 𝑗̂ ∙ 𝑘̂ = 𝑘̂ ∙ 𝑗̂ = 0. We can

use this for component form multiplication of vectors;

𝑠 = 𝐴⃗ ∙ 𝐵
⃗⃗ = 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑧

Vector (cross) product of two vectors

Two vectors can also be multiplied to give a vector result. This product is denoted by (×) for this reason
it is also known as the “cross product”. By definition magnitude of the vector product is the product of
magnitudes multiplied by the sin of the angle between the vectors.

𝑉 = |𝐴⃗ × 𝐵
⃗⃗| = 𝐴𝐵 sin 𝜃𝐴𝐵

The direction of the product vector is perpendicular to both vectors and is given by the right hand rule
(RHL). For vectors in the plane of the paper the vector product is out of or into the plane. These directions
are denoted by (⨀) and (⨂) respectively. These signs are supposed to represent an arrow coming straight
at you from the paper plane or going straight into the paper plane. You put your index (işaret) finger in
the direction of the first and your middle (orta) finger in the direction of the second vector. The direction
of your thumb (başparmak) gives the direction of the product.

Note that order of multiplication reverses the result. 𝐴⃗ × 𝐵 ⃗⃗ × 𝐴⃗.

⃗⃗ = −𝐵
Cross product of parallel vectors is 0 and the product of perpendicular vectors is the product of their
magnitudes.

In terms of unit vectors;

𝑖̂ × 𝑖̂ = 𝑗̂ × 𝑗̂ = 𝑘̂ × 𝑘̂ = 0

𝑖̂ × 𝑗̂ = 𝑗̂ × 𝑘̂ = 𝑘̂ × 𝑖̂ = 1

𝑗̂ × 𝑖̂ = 𝑘̂ × 𝑗̂ = 𝑖̂ × 𝑘̂ = −1
We can use this for component form multiplication of vectors;

⃗⃗ = 𝐴⃗ × 𝐵
𝑉 ⃗⃗ × 𝐴⃗ = (𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑦 − 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑥 )𝑘̂ + (𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑧 − 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑦 )𝑖̂ + (𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑥 − 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑧 )𝑗̂
⃗⃗ = −𝐵

If you are familiar with linear algebra and determinant you can also use the notation;

𝑖̂ 𝑗̂ 𝑘̂
⃗⃗ = 𝐴⃗ × 𝐵
𝑉 ⃗⃗ = |𝐴𝑥 𝐴𝑦 𝐴𝑧 |
𝐵𝑥 𝐵𝑦 𝐵𝑧

Vector division:

⃗⃗ = 𝐴⃗/𝐵
𝑉 ⃗⃗ Wrong!!!!

There ain’t no such thing!!!

Division is not defined for vectors!!!