Vectors

and Vector
Addition
Analie S. Derecho, Lpt
Objectives:

•Distinguish between scalar and vector

quantities.
•Solve problems involving vector addition,
demonstrating their methods through drawings
and calculations.
•Develop an understanding of how vectors are
used in various real-world applications and
scientific contexts.
 •Scalar and Vector
Quantities
Topics:
•Components of a
Vector
•Unit Vectors
 B.
A.
•25°C
•60 km/h East
•5 kg
•10 N downward •10 seconds

•9.8 m/s² downward •100 meters

•3 liters
•5 kg·m/s to the right

Guide Questions:
• What have you observed of the list of A and B ?
• From the list, which quantities describe how much of something there is
but do not include direction?
• From the list, which quantities include both magnitude and direction?
Scalar and Vector Quantities

A scalar is a physical quantity that has only a magnitude (size).

For example, a person buys a tub of margarine which is labelled with a mass of 500 g .
The mass of the tub of margarine is a scalar quantity. It only needs one number to
describe it, in this case, 500 g.

A vector is a physical quantity that has both a magnitude and direction.

For example, a car is travelling east along a freeway at 100 km/h . What we have here
100 km/h is a vector called the velocity. The car is moving at 100 km/h (this is the
magnitude) and we know where it is going east (this is the direction). These two
quantities, the speed and direction of the car, (a magnitude and a direction) together
form a vector we call velocity.
Examples

Scalar
• mass has only a value, no direction
• electric charge has only a value, no direction
Vector
• force has a value and a direction. You push or pull something with some
strength (magnitude) in a particular direction
• weight has a value and a direction. Your weight is proportional to your
mass (magnitude) and is always in the direction towards the center of
the earth.
Vector Representation and
Direction

• A vector quantity could be represented

by an arrow. The length and direction of
the arrow represents the magnitude and
direction of the vector quantity
respectively.
• The figure represents a vector with
magnitude of 3N directed East. Note
that the length of the arrow is
proportional to the magnitude of the
vector.
Vector Representation and
Direction

• The direction of a vector is the acute angle

it makes with the east-west line. The north
or south is written after the measure of
the angle followed by the phrase “of east”
or “ of west”.
• A direction of 60⁰ south of west means
that starting from west, you go south by
60⁰.
• The direction of vector A is 30⁰ north of
east.
Vector Addition

• The two important properties of vector addition are commutative

and associative properties.
• Vector addition, is commutative; that is, the order of adding vectors
may be changed without affecting the resultant. In symbols,
A+B=B+A
• Vector addition is also associative; that is, the grouping of vectors
to be added may also be changed without affecting the resultant.
In symbols,
(A + B)+ C= A+ (B + C)
Vector Addition

• A variety of mathematical operations may be performed on vectors.

While scalar quantities obey the ordinary rules of arithmetic in
addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, vector quantities
are treated in a different way. Their direction must be taken into
consideration.
• The sum of two or more vector quantities is called the resultant
vector, or simply resultant. By definition, the resultant is the single
vector that, if substituted in place of all vectors to be added, would
produce the same combined effect of these vectors. The notation R
is usually used to represent the resultant.
Methods of Vector Addition

• Two general methods:

1. Graphical – parallelogram and polygon methods
2. Analytical – using the laws of sines and cosines and the component
method
• In vector operations, the laws of sines and cosines are generally
used if there are only two vectors to be added. The component
method is more convenient to use than the laws of sines and
cosines if there are more than two vectors to be added.
Parallelogram
Method
 Sample Problem

1. Two forces A and B are acting on an object. A

is 3.0 N directed north and B is 4.0 N, 30⁰ north of
east. Find the resultant force acting on the object
using the parallelogram method.

Solution:
Using the scale 0.5 cm: 1 N, the parallelogram
using forces A and B as sides is drawn as shown in
the figure. Using a ruler, the length of the arrow
representing the magnitude of the resultant R is
found to be 6 cm. Using a protractor, the angle (θ)
that R makes with the horizontal is approximately
55⁰. Therefore, R is 6 N, 55⁰ north of east.
 Sample Problem

2. A balloon is rising vertically at

4.0 m/s. Wind is blowing from east
to west at 3.0 m/s. Find the
resultant velocity of the balloon.
 Sample Problem

3. A particle is being acted upon by the

following forces:
F1= 4.0 N, east; F2= 6.0 N, northeast;
and F3= 8.0 N, south. Find the resultant
using the parallelogram method. You
may add the forces according to the
grouping
( F1+F2)+F3.
 Sample Problem

1.After drawing the resultant of the first two vectors,

construct a second parallelogram using this
resultant and the third vector as sides.
2.Draw the diagonal of the parallelogram from the
common point. This is now the new resultant .
3.The process is continued until all vectors have
been added.
4.The magnitude of the final resultant is determined
from the scale used. The direction is measured by
a proctractor.
Polygon Method

Also known as the tip-to-tail method. This method is more convenient than the
parallelogram method when more than two vectors are to be added graphically. The
following are the steps to be followed using the polygon method.
1. Represent each vector quantity by an arrow drawn to scale.
2. Starting from the origin, draw the first vector on the rectangular coordinate system,
accounting properly its direction.
3. Connect the tail of the second vector to the head of the first vector. Then, connect the
tail of the third vector to the head of the second vector. You may continue drawing the
vectors head to tail until you draw the last vector to be added.
4. The resultant vector will close the figure formed by connecting the vectors. This
resultant is drawn from the tail of the first vector to the head of the last vector.
5. Measure the length of the arrow representing the resultant. Determine the magnitude
of the resultant from the scale used.
6. Use a protractor to determine the direction of the resultant.
Polygon Method

You are out for an early morning walk. You walk 5.0 m south and 12.0 m east. Then you
decided to walk farther and go 4.0 m southwest and 6.0 m west.
(a) How far are you now from your starting point and in what direction?
(b)Would you have arrived at the same spot had you taken the steps in this order: 12.0 m
east; 4.0 m southwest; 5.0 m south and 6.0 m west?
Use the polygon method to determine your answer.
Solution:
Let: A= 5.0 m south B= 120 m east C= 4.0 m southwest D= 6.0 m west

Scale : width of 1 square in a graphing paper = 1 m

Polygon Method
 Using the Laws of Sines and
Cosines
•Analytical: Uses mathematical formulas to calculate the
magnitude and direction of the resultant vector.
•Laws:
•Law of Sines: Relates the sides and angles of a triangle.
•Law of Cosines: Relates the sides and angles of a
triangle, focusing on the relationship between the square

•𝑅2=𝐴2+𝐵2−2𝐴𝐵cos
of a side and the squares of the other two sides.
Using the Laws of Sines and
Cosines

Ex.
Two forces A and B are acting on a particle A is 3.0 N directed
north and B is 4.0 N, 30⁰ north of east. Find the resultant forces
using the laws of sines and cosines.

In your specific case, the angle between the vectors is 120∘ , so

𝑅2=𝐴2+𝐵2−2𝐴𝐵cos⁡(𝜃)
the equation becomes:
 Using the Laws of Sines and
Cosines
Derivation and Explanation
Law of Cosines: The law of cosines is a formula in triangle
geometry that relates the lengths of the sides of a triangle
to the cosine of one of its angles. In the context of vectors, it
helps determine the magnitude of the resultant vector when

Cosine Term: The term −2𝐴𝐵cos⁡(𝜃)comes from the law of

vectors are not perpendicular.

cosines, which accounts for the angle between the two

sides 𝑎, 𝑏, and 𝑐 and the angle 𝜃 opposite side 𝑐 is:

vectors. The formula for the law of cosines in a triangle with

𝑐2=𝑎2+𝑏2−2𝑎𝑏cos⁡(𝜃)
 Using the Laws of Sines and
Cosines
For 𝜃=120∘, the cosine term becomes:

cos⁡(120∘)=−1/2

Substituting this into the law of cosines equation:

𝑅2=𝐴2+𝐵2−2𝐴𝐵cos⁡(120∘)
𝑅2=𝐴2+𝐵2−2𝐴𝐵(−1/2)
𝑅2=𝐴2+𝐵2+𝐴𝐵
R 2 =A 2 +B 2 +AB
R= √A2+B2+AB

you know the magnitudes of two vectors A and B and the angle 𝜃 between
The law of cosines is used to find the magnitude of the resultant vector when

them.
Using the Laws of Sines and
Cosines

R= √A2+B2+AB
R= √(3.0)2+(4.0)2+(3x4)
R= 6.1 N
 Using the Laws of Sines and
Cosines
To determine the direction of R, use the law of sines and solve for 𝜃 ( ∠AOR)
Using the Laws of Sines and
Cosines

Note that 35 ∘ is with respect

to the north direction. The
angle that R makes with the
east direction is equal to 90 ∘ -
35 ∘ = 55 ∘ . Thus, R = 6.1 N,
55 ∘ north of east.
Special Cases

1. For two vectors acting in the same direction

The angle between the two vectors is zero. The magnitude of the resultant is equal
to the sum of the magnitude of the vectors. The direction of the resultant is the
same as the direction of the vectors.
2. For two vectors in opposite direction
The angle between two vector is 180⁰. The magnitude of the resultant is the
difference between the magnitude of the vectors. The direction of the resultant is
the direction of the larger vector.
3. For two vectors that are perpendicular to each other
The magnitude of the resultant can be obtained by the Pythagorean theorem. The
direction of the resultant can be found by using any trigonometric function of a
right tringle.
Special Cases

1. Three monkeys A,B,C start from the same

point O. Monkey A went 3 km north, and
then 4.0 km west. Monkey B went 5 km
east, and monkey C went 5 km east and
goes back 6 km west. Determine the
distance travelled and resultant.
Sample problems
Resolution of Vectors
Resolution of Vectors
Component Method
 Let’s Draw!

1. 3 N, 40 ⁰ north of east
2. 1 m, 70 ⁰ south of west
3. 40 km/hr, 55 ⁰ , north of west
4. 10 N, northeast
5. 20 m, southwest
 Sample Problems

1. A car has travelled 8km south from the garage. Find the components of the
car’s displacement.
2. A force of 80 N is applied by a janitor on the handle of a mop held at 40⁰ with
the floor. How much force is pushing the mop across the floor?
3. A cat moves 3 m east and then turns 4 m west. What is its resultant
displacement?
 Let’s Solve!

1. Find the x and y components of the following vectors.

a. 100 N, 30⁰ west of North
b. 50 N south
c. 10 m to the left
d. 30 m going down
2. Using the component method of adding vectors, find the resultant of the
following vectors: 50 meters to the right, 40 meters down and 30 meters, 30⁰
north of east. What is the equilibrant (the one that balances the resultant vector)
of these vectors?
Real- Life Applications

• Navigating by air and by boat is generally done using vectors.

• Planes are given a vector to travel, and they use their speed to
determine how far they need to go before turning or landing.
Flight plans are made using a series of vectors.
• Sports instructions are based on using vectors.