Module 1

INTRODUCTION TO VECTORS

General Objectives: Understand the concept of vectors.

Specific Objectives:

1. Understand and distinguish between vectors and scalar quantities. (Cognitive)

3. Recognize and value the significance of vectors in everyday situations.

Materials: graphing paper, ruler, protractor, colored pens, calculator

References:

Admin. (2022, October 10). Vector And Scalar Quantities - Definition and Examples. BYJUS.
https://byjus.com/maths/what-are-vector-and-scalar-quantities/
The Physics Classroom. (2019, December 6). Graphical Method of Vector Addition [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMPqekzM554
1.3 Components of vectors | Vectors in two dimensions | Siyavula. (n.d.). Siyavula.
https://www.siyavula.com/read/za/physical-sciences/grade-11/vectors-in-two-dimensions/01-
vectors-in-two-dimensions-03#scESBKD
Study.com. (n.d.). Distance and displacement in physics: Definition and examples.
Study.com. https://study.com/academy/lesson/distance-and-displacement-in-physics-
definition-and-examples.html#:~:text=Displacement%20refers%20to%20an%20object's,
%2C%20negative%2C%20or%20zero%20value

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PHYSICS FOR MATHEMATICS TEACHERS (MATH 117) SY 2023 - 2024 MERGEFORMA
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 Science Concepts in Focus

Vector
 A vector is an object that has both a magnitude and a direction. Geometrically, we
can picture a vector as a directed line segment, whose length is the magnitude of the
vector and with an arrow indicating the direction. The direction of the vector is from
its tail to its head.
Scalar Quantity
 Scalars are specified by ordinary numbers and add and subtract in the usual way.
For example, Two candies in one box plus seven in another give nine
candies in total.
 The physical quantities which have only magnitude are known as scalar quantities. It
is fully described by a magnitude or a numerical value. Scalar quantity does not have
directions. In other terms, a scalar is a measure of quantity.
For example, if I say that the height of a tower is 15 meters, then the height
of the tower is a scalar quantity as it needs only the magnitude of height to define
itself.
Another example, suppose the time taken to complete a piece of work is 3
hours, then in this case also to describe time just need the magnitude i.e. 3 hours.
Vector Quantity
 The physical quantities for which both magnitude and direction are defined distinctly
are known as vector quantities.
For example, a boy is riding a bike with a velocity of 30 km/hr in a north-
east direction.
Resultant
 The resultant, or sum, of a number of vectors of a particular type is that single vector
that would have the same effects as all the original vectors taken together.

Graphical addition of vectors (polygon method)

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PHYSICS FOR MATHEMATICS TEACHERS (MATH 117) SY 2023 - 2024 MERGEFORMA
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  Adding vectors involves arranging them in a head-to-tail
fashion. When adding vectors, place the tail of the second vector at the head of the
first vector. The tail of the third vector is placed at the head of the second vector.
For example,

+ + =
⃗
L ⃗
O ⃗
R ⃗
M

Parallelogram method
 For adding two vectors. The resultant of two vectors acting at any angle may be
represented by the diagonal of a parallelogram. The two vectors are drawn as the
sides of the parallelogram and the resultant is it diagonal.
For example,

⃗
M is the resultant

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PHYSICS FOR MATHEMATICS TEACHERS (MATH 117) SY 2023 - 2024 MERGEFORMA
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 Component method for adding vector
 Components can also be used to find the resultant of vectors. This technique can be
applied to both graphical and algebraic methods of finding the resultant. The method
is straightforward
 make a rough sketch of the problem;
 find the horizontal and vertical components of each vector;
 find the sum of all horizontal components, ⃗
Rx
 find the sum of all the vertical components, ⃗
Ry
⃗
 then use them to find the resultant, R

Displacement
 Displacement refers to an object's change in position independent of the path taken.
Displacement accounts for the magnitude as well as the direction of an object's
travel, making it a vector quantity. Because displacement is a vector quantity, it can
be a positive, negative, or zero value.

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PHYSICS FOR MATHEMATICS TEACHERS (MATH 117) SY 2023 - 2024 MERGEFORMA
T2