Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 1

Vectors
Scalars and Vectors
Vector Components and Arithmetic
Vectors in 3 Dimensions
Unit vectors i, j, k
Serway and Jewett Chapter 3

Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 2
Physical quantities are classified as scalars,
vectors, etc.

Scalar : described by a real number with units
examples: mass, charge, energy . . .

Vector : described by a scalar (its magnitude) and
a direction in space
examples: displacement, velocity, force . . .
Vectors have direction, and obey
different rules of arithmetic.
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 3
Notation
Scalars : ordinary or italic font (m, q, t . . .)

Vectors : - Boldface font (v, a, F . . .)
- arrow notation
- underline (v, a, F . . .)

Pay attention to notation :
constant v and constant v mean
different things!
.) . . F , a , v (
!
! !
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 4
Magnitude : a scalar, is the length of a vector.
e.g., Speed, v = |v| (a scalar), is the magnitude of velocity v
A
!
A
!
2
3
A
!
2
1
!
Multiplication:
scalar ! vector = vector

Later in the course, we will use two other types of multiplication:
the dot product , and the cross product.
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 5
Vector Addition: Vector + Vector = Vector
C B A
! ! !
= + e.g.
A
!
B
!
Triangle Method
Parallelogram Method
A
!
B
!
A
!
B
!
B A C
! ! !
+ =
B A C
! ! !
+ =
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 6
Concept Quiz
Two students are moving a refrigerator. One
pushes with a force of 200 newtons, the other with a
force of 300 newtons. Force is a vector. The total
force they (together) exert on the refrigerator is:
a) equal to 500 newtons
b) equal to newtons
c) not enough information to tell
2 2
300 200 +
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 7
Concept Quiz
Two students are moving a refrigerator. One pushes
with a force of 200 newtons (in the positive direction),
the other with a force of 300 newtons in the opposite
direction. What is the net force ?

a)100N

b)-100N

c) 500N
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 8
Coordinate Systems
In 2-D : describe a location in a plane
by polar coordinates :
distance r and angle "

by Cartesian coordinates :
distances x, y, parallel to axes
with: x=rcos! y=rsin!
x
y
"
r
( x , y )
0 x
y
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 9
Components
define the axes first
are scalars
axes dont have to be
horizontal and vertical
the vector and its
components form a right
triangle with the vector on
the hypotenuse
) (and , ,
z y x
v v v
x
y
v
y

v
x

v
!
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 10
3-D Coordinates (location in space)
y
z
x
y
x
z
We use a right-handed coordinate system with
three axes:
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 11
x
y
z
Is this a right-handed
coordinate system?

Does it matter?
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 12
Unit Vectors
A unit vector u or is a vector with
magnitude 1 :
(a pure number, no units)


Define coordinate unit vectors i, j, k
along the x, y, z axis.
1 u =
u
z
y
x
i
j
k
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 13
A vector can be written in terms of its components: A
!
k A j A i A A z y x
! ! ! !
+ + =
i
j
A
!
A
x
i
A
y
j
A
y
j
A
x
i
A
!
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 14
Addition again:
A
x

A
y

A
!
B
y

B
x

B
!
B
y

B
x

B
!
A
y

A
x

A
!
C
!
C
x

C
y

If A + B = C ,
then:



z z z
y y y
x x x
B A C
B A C
B A C
+ =
+ =
+ =
Three scalar
equations from one
vector equation!
Tail to Head
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 15
C B A
! ! !
= +
In components (2-D for simplicity) :
j i j i ) ( ) ( y x y y x x C C B A B A + = + + + =
The unit-vector notation leads to a simple rule for
the components of a vector sum:
B A
! !
+
Eg: A=2i+4j
B=3i-5j
A+B = 5i-j
A - B = -i+9j
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 16
Magnitude : the length of a vector.
Magnitude is a scalar.
In terms of components:


On the diagram,
v
x
= v cos !
v
y
= v sin !

x
y
v
y

v
x

"
v
!
e.g., Speed is the magnitude of velocity:
velocity = v ; speed = |v| = v
2 2
| |
y x
v v + = v
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 3 17
Summary
vector quantities must be treated according to the
rules of vector arithmetic
vectors add by the triangle rule or parallelogram rule
(geometric method)
a vector can be represented in terms of its
Cartesian components using the unit vectors i, j, k
these can be used to add vectors (algebraic
method)
if and only if:
A
!
B A C
! ! !
+ =
z z z y y y x x x B A C B A C B A C + = + = + =