Course Number : 1430106

Remedial Physics

Rectangular components of
a vector
Dr. Muhammad Azeem

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Objectives:

• Define vectors and scalars.

• Trigonometry
• Determine the components of a given vector.
• Find the resultant of two or more component
vectors.
 Scalars
The quantity which can described only by its
magnitude (a number) and unit without any mention
of direction.
Examples:
Mass (20 Kg), Distance (5 Km), Temperature 100 °C
Pressure, Work, Energy etc.
A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude and
direction. It is represented by an arrow. The length of
the vector represents the magnitude and the arrow
indicates the direction of the vector.

Blue and orange Blue and purple

vectors have same Blue and green
vectors have same
magnitude but vectors have same
magnitude and
direction but different
different direction. direction so they are
equal. magnitude.

Two vectors are equal if they have the same

direction and magnitude (length).
 Vector Exampels
Displacement: 30 Km South-West of Sharjah
Velocity: 120 Km/h towards Dubai.
Acceleration: 5 m/s2 towards north.
Weight: 100 N directed towards the center of the earth.
Force: 10 N towards left.
To
To add
addvectors,
vectors,we weput
put the
theinitial
initialpoint
pointof of the
thesecond
second
vector
vector on on the
theterminal
terminal point
point of of the
thefirst
first vector.
vector. The The
resultant
resultant vector
vector has
hasanan initial
initialpoint
point atat the
the initial
initial point
point
of
of the
the first
first vector
vector and
and aaterminal
terminal point
point atat the
theterminal
terminal
point
point ofofthe
thesecond
second vector
vector (see
(seebelow--better
below--bettershown shown
than
than put
put inin words).
words).
Terminal
point of w

vw w
w

Initial point of v
v Move w over keeping
the magnitude and
direction the same.
 v Vector addition is
commutative We can add
vectors in any order

w wv Terminal
point of w

vw w
w

Initial point of v
v
 Terminal X
point of w

w vwx
xwv
w
w
X
Initial point of v
v
 
Vector addition is associative
o
We can group vector addition however we like

Eq. (3-3

Figure (3-
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
The negative of a vector is just a vector going the opposite
way.

v

v
A number multiplied in front of a vector is called a scalar.
It means to take the vector and add together that many
times.

3v v
v
v
 v Using the vectors shown,
find the following:
u w u
uv
v
 3w
w uv
w
w u
v

2u  3w  v v
u w
u w
w
 Trigonometry
• Application of Trigonometry to Vectors
y
Trigonometry sin   y = R sin q
R
x
y R cos   x = R cos q
R
y
q tan   R2 = x2 + y2
x
x
ɵ = tan-1 (y/x) To calculate
angle
Example 1: Find the height of a building
if it casts a shadow 90 m long and the
indicated angle is 30o.
The height h is opposite (y) 300 and the
known adjacent (x) side is 90 m.

0 opp h
tan 30  
h adj 90 m
300
h = (90 m) tan 30o
90 m
h = 57.7 m
 Exercise 1: A person walks 400 m in a
direction of 30o North of East. How far
is the displacement east and how far
north?
N
N
R 400 m
y y=?
q 30o
E
x E x=?

The x-component (along East) is: x = R cos q

The y-component (along North) is: y = R sin q
Solution Ex. 1: A 400-m walk in a
direction of 30o N of E. How far is the
displacement east and how far north?
N
400 m The x- and y-
Ry = components are
30o +200 m each + in the
E
Rx = first quadrant
+346 m

Solution: The person is displaced 346 m east

and 200 m north of the original position.
 Identifying Direction
A common way of identifying direction
is by reference to East, North, West,
and South. (Locate points below.)

N Length = 40 m
40 m, 50o N of E
60o 50o
W E 40 m, 60o N of W
60o
60o
40 m, 60o W of S

40 m, 60o S of E
S
More Practice Identifying Direction
Write the angles shown below by using
references to east, south, west, north.

N N
45 o
W E
50o W E
S
S

500 S of E 450 W of N
Signs for Rectangular Coordinates
90o
First Quadrant:

R + 0o < q < 90o

q x = +; y = +
0o
+
Signs for Rectangular Coordinates
90o
Second Quadrant:

R
+ q 90o < q < 180o
180o
x=-; y=+
Signs for Rectangular Coordinates
Third Quadrant:

q 180o < q < 270o

180o
x=- y=-
-
R

270o
Signs for Rectangular Coordinates
Fourth Quadrant:

q 270o < q < 360o

+ 360o x=+ y=-

270o
Exercise 2: A 30-N southward force
and a 40-N eastward force act on a
donkey at the same time. What is the
NET or resultant force on the donkey
and in which direction?

40 N

30 N
 Solution Ex. 2
Finding (R,q) from given (x,y) = (+40, -30)

40 N q Rx 40 N
f
Ry

30 N R 30 N

R= x 2 + y2 R= (40)2 + (30)2 = 50 N

-30 q = 360-36.9o
tan f = f = -36.9o
40 323.1o
Exercise 4: A woman walks 30 m,
West; then 40 m, North. Determine her
net displacement and direction.
Solution Ex 4. Next we find her
displacement in R,q notation.
40 0
tan   ;  = 59.1
+40 R 30
m
f q = 1800 – 59.10
-30 m
q = 126.9o

2 2
R  (30)  (40) R = 50 m
Exercise 3: Town A is 35 km south and 46 km
west of Town B. Find length and direction of
highway between towns.

2 2 B
R  (46 km)  (35 km) f=? 35
R=?
km
R = 57.8 km
46 km
46 km A
tan  
35 km q = 2700 - 52.70

f = 52.70 South of West. q = 217.30

 Exercise 4. Find the components of the 240-N
force exerted by the boy on the girl if his arm
makes an angle of 280 with the ground.

F = 240 N

Fy F
280
Fy
Fx

Fx = -|(240 N) cos 280| = -212 N

Fy = +|(240 N) sin 280| = +113 N

A bird flies 25.0 m in the direction 55° east of south to its
nest on a cliff. The bird then flies 75.0 m in the
direction 55° west of north to the top of a tree. What
are the northward and westward components of the
resultant displacement of the bird from its nest?
northward westward
A) 29 m 41 m
B) 41 m 29 m
C) 35 m 35 m
D) 81 m 57 m
E) 57 m 81 m
 
A sailboat leaves a harbor and sails 1.8 km in
the direction 65° south of east, where the
captain stops for lunch. A short time later,
the boat sails 1.1 km in the direction 15°
north of east. What is the magnitude of the
resultant displacement from the harbor?
A) 2.3 km
B) 1.5 km
C) 2.9 km
D) 1.2 km
E) 0.59 km