Chapter 2

Scalars and Vectors

Scalar Temperature, Vector Wind: This weather station measures temperature, a

scalar quantity that can be positive or negative (say, ) but has no direction. It also
measures wind velocity, which is a vector quantity with both magnitude and
direction (for example, 15 km/h from the west).
 Scalars and Vectors
Scalar quantities are quantities that can be described
completely by their magnitudes without directions.
Examples of scalars include: mass, area, volume,
density, time, temperature, work, energy, power, etc.

Vector quantities are quantities that can be described

by their magnitudes and directions. Examples of
vectors include: displacement, velocity, acceleration,
force, weight, momentum, etc.

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3-2 Addition of Vectors—Graphical Methods
For vectors in one
dimension, simple
addition and subtraction
are all that is needed.
You do need to be
careful about the signs,
as the figure indicates.

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3-2 Addition of Vectors—Graphical Methods
If the motion is in two dimensions, the situation is somewhat more
complicated.
Here, the actual travel paths are at right angles to one another; we can
find the displacement by using the Pythagorean Theorem.

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3-2 Addition of Vectors—Graphical Methods
Adding the vectors in the opposite order gives the same result:

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3-2 Addition of Vectors—Graphical Methods
Even if the vectors are not at right angles, they can be added graphically
by using the “tail-to-tip” method.

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 Adding Vectors by Components
Triangle Law of Vectors: If two vectors acting at a
point are represented in magnitude and direction by
the two sides of a triangle taken in one order, then
their resultant is represented by the third side of the
triangle taken in the opposite order.

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 Adding Vectors by Components
Parallelogram Law of Vectors If two vectors acting at a
point are represented in magnitude and direction by the
two adjacent sides of a parallelogram drawn from a point,
then their resultant is represented in magnitude and
direction by the diagonal of the parallelogram drawn from
the same point.

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 Adding Vectors by Components
Polygon Law of Vectors The law states that if a number of
vectors acting on a particle at a time is represented in
magnitude and – direction by the various sides of an open
polygon taken in the same order, their resultant vector is
represented in magnitude and direction by the closing side
of a polygon taken in the opposite order.

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3-3 Subtraction of Vectors, and Multiplication
of a Vector by a Scalar
In order to subtract vectors, we define the negative of a vector, which
has the same magnitude but points in the opposite direction.

Then we add the negative vector:

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3-3 Subtraction of Vectors, and Multiplication
of a Vector by a Scalar
A vector V can be multiplied by a scalar c; the result is a vector cV that
has the same direction but a magnitude cV. If c is negative, the resultant
vector points in the opposite direction.

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3-4 Adding Vectors by Components
Any vector can be expressed as the sum of two other vectors, which are
called its components. Usually the other vectors are chosen so they are
perpendicular to each other.

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3-4 Adding Vectors by Components
If the components are
perpendicular, they can
be found using
trigonometric functions.

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3-4 Adding Vectors by Components
The components are effectively one-dimensional, so they can be added
arithmetically:

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 Adding Vectors by Components

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 Adding Vectors by Components

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1. The dimension of the gravitational
constant G is:

2. The equation for the magnetic force F on a current-

carrying conductor of length l placed in a magnetic field B
is F = Bilsinθ, where I is the current, B is the magnetic field
strength, and θ is the angle between l and B. The
dimension of B is
3. The dot product of two vectors A and B is
zero if:
(a) A and B are parallel
(b) A and B are perpendicular
(c) A and B have equal magnitudes
(d) A and B have opposite directions
4. Given the vectors A = 2i + 3j + 4k, B = i - 2j + 3k,
and C = 2i + j - k, find the magnitude of V if
5. Given the forces F₁ = 3i + 4j - 2k, F₂ = i - 2j + 3k, and
F₃ = 2i + j - k acting on a body, find the magnitude of the
resultant force.
6. According to Laplace’s formula, the velocity, v,
of sound in a gas is given by

where p is pressure, is the density of a

gas. What is the dimensions for
7. The velocity v, the acceleration a and
displacement s of a body in motion are related
by the expression . Find x and y
8. In an equation where p is the pressure, V is
the volume, T is the temperature and a, b, R are
constants. What is the dimensions of a/b ?
9. A force is given by F = at + b, where t
is time, the dimensions of a and b are
10. A rural mail carrier leaves the post office
and drives 22.0 km in a northerly
direction. She then drives in a direction 60.0°
south of east for 47.0 km. What is her
displacement from the post office?
11. An airplane trip involves three legs, with two
stopovers. The first leg is due east for 620 km; the
second leg is southeast (45°) for 440 km; and the
third leg is at 53° south of west, for 550 km. What is
the plane’s total displacement?
12. The figure below shows two vectors A and B, whose
magnitudes are 6.8 units and 5.5 units. Determine C is
(a) C = A + B
(b) C = A - B
(c) C = B - A
13. An airplane is traveling 835 km/h in a direction 41.5° west of north.
(a) Find the components of the velocity vector in the northerly and
westerly directions. (b) How far north and how far west has the plane
traveled after 2.50 h?
14.
(a) Determine the magnitude and direction of the sum of the
three vectors

(b) Determine the magnitude and direction of