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Physics and Physical Measurement

The document explains the concepts of scalar and vector quantities, highlighting their differences in terms of magnitude and direction. It covers methods for adding and subtracting vectors, including the triangle and parallelogram methods, as well as resolving vectors into components using trigonometry. Additionally, it discusses the multiplication of scalars and vectors, and provides an example problem involving forces acting on a ring.

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aykhandadashov2005
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24 views24 pages

Physics and Physical Measurement

The document explains the concepts of scalar and vector quantities, highlighting their differences in terms of magnitude and direction. It covers methods for adding and subtracting vectors, including the triangle and parallelogram methods, as well as resolving vectors into components using trigonometry. Additionally, it discusses the multiplication of scalars and vectors, and provides an example problem involving forces acting on a ring.

Uploaded by

aykhandadashov2005
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Physics and Physical

Measurement

Topic 1.3 Scalars and Vectors


Scalar Quantities
 Scalars can be completely
described by magnitude (size)
 Scalars can be added algebraically
 They are expressed as positive or
negative numbers and a unit
 examples include :- mass, electric
charge, distance, speed, energy
Vector Quantities
 Vectors need both a magnitude and a
direction to describe them (also a point
of application)
 When expressing vectors as a symbol,
you need to adopt a recognized notation
 e.g.
 They need to be added, subtracted and
multiplied in a special way
 Examples :- velocity, weight, acceleration,
displacement, momentum, force
Addition and Subtraction
 The Resultant (Net) is the result
vector that comes from adding or
subtracting a number of vectors
 If vectors have the same or
opposite directions the addition can
be done simply
 same direction : add
 opposite direction : subtract
Co-planar vectors
 The addition of co-planar vectors that do
not have the same or opposite direction can
be solved by using scale drawings to get an
accurate resultant
 Or if an estimation is required, they can be
drawn roughly
 or by Pythagoras’ theorem and
trigonometry
 Vectors can be represented by a straight
line segment with an arrow at the end
Triangle of Vectors
 Two vectors are added by drawing
to scale and with the correct
direction the two vectors with the
tail of one at the tip of the other.
 The resultant vector is the third
side of the triangle and the arrow
head points in the direction from
the ‘free’ tail to the ‘free’ tip
Example

R=a+b

a + b =
Parallelogram of Vectors
 Place the two vectors tail to tail, to
scale and with the correct
directions
 Then complete the parallelogram
 The diagonal starting where the
two tails meet and finishing where
the two arrows meet becomes the
resultant vector
Example

R=a+b
a + b =
More than 2
 If there are more than 2 co-planar
vectors to be added, place them all
head to tail to form polygon when
the resultant is drawn from the
‘free’ tail to the ‘free’ tip.

 Noticethat the order doesn’t


matter!
Subtraction of Vectors
 To subtract a vector, you reverse
the direction of that vector to get
the negative of it
 Then you simply add that vector
Example

a - b =

R = a + (- b)
-b
Multiplying Scalars
 Scalarsare multiplied and divided
in the normal algebraic manner

 Donot forget units!


 5m / 2s = 2.5 ms-1
 2kW x 3h = 6 kWh (kilowatt-hours)
Multiplying Vectors
 A vector multiplied by a scalar gives a
vector with the same direction as the
vector and magnitude equal to the
product of the scalar and a vector
magnitude
 A vector divided by a scalar gives a vector
with same direction as the vector and
magnitude equal to the vector magnitude
divided by the scalar
 You don’t need to be able to multiply a
vector by another vector
Resolving Vectors
 The
process of finding the
Components of vectors is called
Resolving vectors

 Just
as 2 vectors can be added to
give a resultant, a single vector
can be split into 2 components or
parts
The Rule
A vector can be split into two
perpendicular components
 These could be the vertical and
horizontal components

Vertical component

Horizontal component
 Orparallel to and perpendicular to
an inclined plane
 These vertical and horizontal
components could be the vertical
and horizontal components of
velocity for projectile motion

 Orthe forces perpendicular to and


along an inclined plane
Doing the Trigonometry

V Sin  = opp/hyp = y/V


y Therefore y = Vsin 
 In this case this is the
vertical component
x Cos  = adj/hyp = x/V
V sin 
Therefore x = Vcos 
In this case this is the
horizontal component

V cos 
Quick Way
 If you resolve through the angle it
is
 cos

 If
you resolve ‘not’ through the
angle it is
 sin
Adding 2 or More
Vectors by Components
 First resolve into components (making
sure that all are in the same 2
directions)
 Then add the components in each of
the 2 directions
 Recombine them into a resultant
vector
 This will involve using Pythagoras´
theorem
Question
 Three strings are attached to a
small metal ring. 2 of the strings
make an angle of 70o and each is
pulled with a force of 7N.
 What force must be applied to the
3rd string to keep the ring
stationary?
Answer
 Draw a diagram
7 cos 35o + 7 cos 35o

7N 7N
70o

7 sin 35o 7 sin 35o

F
 Horizontally
 7 sin 35o - 7 sin 35o = 0

 Vertically
 7 cos 35o + 7 cos 35o = F
 F = 11.5N
 And at what angle?
 145o to one of the strings.

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