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VECTORS
 VECTORS 02
What is a vector quantity?
A physical quantity that has both
magnitude and direction.
VECTOR QUANTITIES
PHYSICAL QUANTITY SYMBOL SI UNIT SYMBOL
OF UNIT
Position Metre

Displacement Metre

Velocity Metre per

second

Force F Newton N
Weight W or Fg Newton N
Acceleration Metres per
second squared
 VECTORS 03
What is a scalar quantity?
A physical quantity that has magnitude only

SCALAR QUANTITIES
PHYSICAL SYMBOL SI UNIT SYMBOL OF
QUANTITY UNIT
Time Seconds
Mass Kilogram Kg
Distance D Metre
Speed Metre per
second
Charge Q Coulomb C
Energy E Joule J
 VECTORS 04
Classify the following quantities as vectors or scalars:

Time, mass, velocity, distance, displacement, weight, speed,

charge, acceleration, force, work, temperature, density, volume,
friction, electric field, gravitational field, magnetic field, position
 VECTORS 05
NEGATIVE SCALARS AND VECTORS

A negative vector of a given vector has the same size as

the given vector but works in the opposite direction. The
diagram shows a force F that is exerted to the right. If the
force is exerted in the opposite direction, it is the negative
of F or –F. it still has the same size.
 VECTORS 06
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NEGATIVE SCALARS AND VECTORS
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For scalar quantities the negative number often represent
something smaller.

e.g. a temperature of -12oC is lower than a temperature of

12oC
VECTORS 07
DIRECTION OF A VECTOR
To the right, to the left, positive direction, negative
direction, east or west, north or south, up or down
 VECTORS 08
1. Bearing: A line of reference is chosen as
north, with an angle of 0°. All other angles
are measured by clockwise angular rotation
(0°-360°) from the reference line
 VECTORS 09
2. Compass directions:
Use North, South, East or West
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3. x- and y- axis:
the angle is measured in relation to
the axis
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REPRESENTING VECTORS
Vectors are represented by an arrow drawn to scale
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• The length of the arrow represents the size (magnitude) of the

vector
• The arrowhead represents the direction of the vector quantity
• The tail is the starting point of the vector.
• The head is the ending point of the vector
 VECTORS 12
SKETCH-VECTOR DIAGRAM
In a sketch-vector diagram the vectors are not
drawn to scale, though the relative sizes of the
vectors must be clear
i.e. a bigger vector must have a longer arrow than
a smaller vector
 VECTORS 13
SCALE-VECTOR DIAGRAMS

In this case the vectors are drawn accurately according to a

suitable scale
e.g. a 6 N force is applied to a brick to the right. Draw a
scale-vector diagram to represent this force
• Steps
1. Choose a scale and write it down : 10 mm = 0,5 N
Therefore 6 N = 120 mm
2. Draw the length of vector correct to the nearest mm
 VECTORS 14
Represent the following as scale vector diagram
1. A 100 N force applied to an object vertically upwards
2. An aeroplane flying at 850 km/h due west
3. A bird flying at 40 ms-1 on a bearing of 30°
 VECTORS 11
VECTOR NOTATION: -symbolic representation of vector

A bold letter can be used to represent a vector: e.g. F, a, v


Or an ordinary letter with an arrow on top: F = 6 N east

Draw the following vector quantity: F = 14 N East
Solution
Step 1 : choose a scale and write it down
10 mm : 1 N
Step 2 : choose a reference direction e.g.
Step 3 : determine the length of the vector
if 10 mm : 1 N therefore 14 N = 140 mm
Step 4: draw an arrow 140 mm pointing Eastward
 VECTORS 16
1. Equality of vectors
WINTER
PROPERTIES OF VECTORS
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Two vectors are equal if they have the same size and same direction.

 
If for example we have two forces, F1= 25 N East and F2 = 25 N East,
we can say that F1 = F2.
They don’t have to exert force on the same object or place to be equal
 VECTORS 17
2. Negative vectors
A negative vector is a vector with the same size, but in
exactly opposite direction as the given positive vector.
 VECTORS 18
VECTOR ADDITION

There are two ways of adding vectors

a. The head to tail method and

b. The tail to tail method

When vectors are added the result is a resultant vector.

The resultant vector is the single vector that has the same
effect as two or more vectors acting together. It is a vector
sum
 VECTORS 19
a. THE HEAD TO TAIL METHOD OF ADDING
VECTORS

The resultant vector = A + B

 VECTORS 20
HEAD TO TAIL METHOD OF SUBTRACTION VECTORS

The resultant vector = A - B

 VECTORS 21
FURTHER EXAMPLES WINTER
A box is pushed by two force to the right, F1 = 20 N and F2 = 15 N.
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What is the resultant force on the box?

Solution by construction.
1. Choose a scale and write it down. 10mm : 5 N

20N = 40 mm and 15 N = 30 mm

Draw F1, place the tail of F2 at the tip (head) of F1, draw an arrow
from the tail of F1 to the head of F2, the length is 70mm which is
equal to
 VECTORS 22
FURTHER EXAMPLES
A box is pushed by two force to the right, F1 = 20 N and F2 = 15 N.
What is the resultant force on the box?

Solution by calculation
Take right as positive direction:
Therefore F1 = +20 N and F2 = +15 N

Therefore the resultant force is 35 N to the right

EXAMPLES
VECTORS 23
A box is pulled to the right by two individual as shown in the diagram.
What is the resultant force?
1. Choose a suitable scale and
write it down. 10mm : 20 N
2. Calculate the length that would
represent each vector
80 N =40 mm & 120 N = 60 mm

3. Draw the first vector to scale (80 N = 40 mm to the right)

80 N
 VECTORS 24
EXAMPLES
A box is pulled to the right by two individual as shown in the diagram.
What is the resultant force?
1. Choose a suitable scale and
write it down. 10mm : 20 N
2. Calculate the length that would
represent each vector
80 N =40 mm & 120 N = 60 mm

3. Draw the first vector to scale (80 N = 40 mm to the right)

4. Draw an arrow to represent the second vector. (120 N =
60mm) Place the tail of the second vector at the head of
the first vector.
80 N 120 N
 VECTORS 11
EXAMPLES
A box is pulled to the right by two individual as shown in the diagram.
What is the resultant force?
3. Draw the first vector to scale (80 N = 40 mm to the right)
4. Draw an arrow to represent the second vector. (120 N = 60mm) Place
the tail of the second vector at the head of the first vector.
5. Draw an arrow from the tail of the first vector to the
head of the last vector. This is the resultant, or the sum,
of the other vectors.
6. Measure its length and determine the size and
direction of force
The length is 100 mm ∴

80 N 120 N
 VECTORS 26
EXAMPLES
WINTER
A box is pulled to the right by two individual as shown in the diagram.
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What is the resultant force?

Solution by calculation:
Take right as positive
∴
∴ the resultant force is 200 N to the right
EXAMPLE
VECTORS 27
A box is pulled by two forces as shown in the diagram.
What is the resultant force ?

1. Choose a suitable scale

and write it down.
10mm : 20 N
2. Calculate the length that
would represent each vector.
80 N =40 mm
& 120 N = 60 mm

3. Draw the first vector to scale (80 N = 40 mm to the right)

80 N
EXAMPLE
VECTORS 28
A box is pulled by two forces as shown in the diagram.

1. Choose a suitable scale

and write it down.
10mm : 20 N
2. Calculate the length that
would represent each
vector. 80 N =40 mm
& 120 N = 60 mm
3. Draw the first vector to scale (80 N = 40 mm to the right)
4. Draw an arrow to represent the second vector. (120 N = 60mm)
Place the tail of the second vector at the head of the first
vector. 80 N

120 N
 VECTORS 29
EXAMPLE
A box is pulled by two forces as shown in the diagram.

3. Draw the first vector to scale (80 N = 40 mm to the right)

4. Draw an arrow to represent the second vector. (120 N = 60mm)
Place the tail of the second vector at the head of the first
5. Draw an arrow from the tail of the first vector to
vector.
the head of the last vector. This is the resultant, or
the sum, of the other vectors.
6. Measure its length and determine the size and
direction of force
The length is 20 mm ∴
𝑭𝑹 80 N

120 N
 VECTORS 11
EXAMPLE
A box is pulled by two forces as shown in the diagram.

Solution by calculation:
Take right as positive
∴
∴ the resultant force is 40 N to the left
 VECTORS 31
WINTER
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During tag of war forces of 550 N to the right, 450 N to the right, 430 N to
the left and 370 N to the left are exerted as shown in the diagram. Find
the resultant force.
 VECTORS 32
Choose a suitable scale and write it down.
10 mm : 100 N
Follow the 6 steps as usual
F1 = 550 N to the right = 55 mm
F2 = 450 N to the right = 45 mm
F3 = 430 N to the left = 43 mm
F4 = 370 N to the left = 37 mm
550 N

550 N 450 N
 VECTORS 33
Choose a suitable scale and write it down.
10 mm : 100 N
Follow the 6 steps as usual
F1 = 550 N to the right = 55 mm
F2 = 450 N to the right = 45 mm
F3 = 430 N to the left = 43 mm
F4 = 370 N to the left = 37 mm
550 N 450N
430N

550 N 450N
370N 430N
 VECTORS 34
Choose a suitable scale and write it down.
10 mm : 100 N
Follow the 6 steps as usual
F1 = 550 N to the right = 55 mm
F2 = 450 N to the right = 45 mm
F3 = 430 N to the left = 43 mm
F4 = 370550
N to
N the left = 37 mm
450N
370N 430N

550 N 450N
200N 370N 430N

The length is 20 mm ∴
∴
 VECTORS 35
SOLUTION BY CALCULATION
Calculate the resultant force.

F1 = 550 N to the right = +550 N

F2 = 450 N to the right = +450 N
F3 = 430 N to the left = -430 N
F4 = 370 N to the left = -370 N

∴
 VECTORS 36
WINTER
TAIL TO TAIL ADDITION OF VECTOR

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In this method the tails of the vectors instead of the head to tail

During tag of
war forces of
550 N to the
right, 450 N to
the right, 430 N
to the left and
370 N to the left
are exerted as
shown in the
diagram. Find
the resultant
force.
 VECTORS 37
SOLUTION: the vectors are joined tail to tail as shown in the
diagram
 MOTION IN ONE DIMENSION 11
POSITION: the location of an object from a reference point

When an object moves, it undergoes a constant change of position.

The position of an object at a point or place can only be described if
there is another point or body to refer to, that is a point from which
measurements can be made called a reference point. Or the origin.

Once w
 VECTORS 36
WINTER
TAIL TO TAIL ADDITION OF VECTOR

Template
In this method the tails of the vectors instead of the head to tail

During tag of
war forces of
550 N to the
right, 450 N to
the right, 430 N
to the left and
370 N to the left
are exerted as
shown in the
diagram. Find
the resultant
force.
 VECTORS 37
SOLUTION: the vectors are joined tail to tail as shown in the
diagram
 VECTORS 09
THE RESULTANT OF TWO PERPENDICULAR VECTORS
Using the Cartesian co-ordinate system can be very helpful.

Two forces F1 of 80 N east

and F2 of 40 N north are
simultaneously exerted on
a wooden barrel as
illustrated in the diagram.

Calculate the resultant of

the two forces.
 VECTORS 38
1. Draw the Cartesian plane
2. Draw F1 and F2 along the x and y
axes respectively
3. Complete a rectangle drawing two
lines of equal length parallel to F1 and
F2.
4. Draw a resultant force FR as the
diagonal of the rectangle, starting at
the tails of F1 and F2.
5. Use Pythagoras theorem and tangent
to find FR and 