Module 3 Vectors
Module 3 Vectors
VECTORS
Vectors
A scalar quantity is specified by a single value with an appropriate unit and has no direction. (example:
temperature, mass, energy etc. )
A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction. (example: displacement, velocity etc). A vector is
usually denoted by a letter with an arrow overhead (𝒙 , 𝒗)
1. Equality of Vectors:
Two vectors are equal if they have the same magnitude and point in the same
direction.
2. Adding Vectors:
The resultant vector is the vector that connects from the tail of a vector to the tip of another vector.
𝑨 + −𝑨 = 𝟎
The vectors A and –A have the same magnitude but point in opposite directions.
Subtracting Vectors:
𝑨 − 𝑩 = 𝑨 + −𝑩
• Once a vector has been resolved into its components along a set of
axes, the components themselves can be used in place of the vector.
𝑎 = 𝑎𝑥 𝑖 + 𝑎𝑦 𝑗 Vector Components
𝑏 = 𝑏𝑥 𝑖 + 𝑏𝑦 𝑗
𝑎𝑥, 𝑎𝑦 are scalar components.
𝑟𝑥 = 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑥
𝑟𝑦 = 𝑎𝑦 + 𝑏𝑦
𝑟𝑧 = 𝑎𝑧 + 𝑏𝑧
𝑎 = 4.2 𝑚 𝑖 − 1.5 𝑚 𝑗
𝑏 = −1.6 𝑚 𝑖 + 2.9 𝑚 𝑗
𝑐 = −3.7 𝑚 𝑗
If we multiply a vector 𝑎 by a scalar s, we get a new vector. Its magnitude is the product of magnitude of
𝑎 and the absolute value of s. Its direction is the direction of 𝑎 if s is positive but the opposite direction is
s in negative.
#1 𝑎 ⋅ 𝑏 = 𝑎𝑏𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜙
a is the magnitude of vector 𝑎 and b is the magnitude of vector 𝑏 ;
∅ is the angle between the vectors
#2 𝑎 ⋅ 𝑏 = (𝑎𝑥 𝑖 + 𝑎𝑦 𝑗 + 𝑎𝑧 𝑘) ∙ (𝑏𝑥 𝑖 + 𝑏𝑦 𝑗 + 𝑏𝑧 𝑘)
𝑎 ⋅ 𝑏 = 𝑎𝑥 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑎𝑦 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑎𝑧 𝑏𝑧
𝒂⋅ 𝒃=𝒃⋅𝒂
#1 The vector product of 𝑎 and 𝑏, written as 𝑎 × 𝑏, produces a third vector whose magnitude is
𝑐 = 𝑎𝑏 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙
#2 𝑎 × 𝑏 = (𝑎𝑥 𝑖 + 𝑎𝑦 𝑗 + 𝑎𝑧 𝑘) × (𝑏𝑥 𝑖 + 𝑏𝑦 𝑗 + 𝑏𝑧 𝑘)
𝑎 × 𝑏 = 𝑎𝑦 𝑏𝑧 − 𝑏𝑦 𝑎𝑧 𝑖 + 𝑎𝑧 𝑏𝑥 − 𝑏𝑧 𝑎𝑥 𝑗 + (𝑎𝑥 𝑏𝑦 − 𝑏𝑥 𝑎𝑦 )𝑘
𝒂 × 𝒃 = −(𝒃 × 𝒂)
(a) Find 𝑐 = 𝑎 × 𝑏