Ch 3 Working with Vectors

To describe motion correctly, we have to

know relative to what does the object
move.
Consider a passenger walking on a moving
bus. The bus moves 80 m in 10 s. During
that time the passenger walks 5 m from the
back of the bus to the front.
m/s
The velocity of the bus relative to the8,0
road
is: .......
..
0,5bus
m/sis:
The velocity of the passenger relative to the
...
8,5road
m/s is:
The velocity of the passenger relative to the
...

Vb = 8m/s

Vb = 8m/s

Vb = 8m/s

Vb = 8m/s

Vp = 0,5 m/s

vp = 0,5 m/s
vb = 8 m/s

vres = vb + vp ?

vp = 0,5 m/s
vb = 8 m/s

(vres)2 = (vb)2 + (vp)2

= 64 + 0,25
= 64,25
vres = 8,02 m/s

Scalar
A scalar is a quantity specified
only by its magnitude, like
mass, energy.
Vector
A vector is a quantity which is
specified by both magnitude
and direction, like force.

some more examples of vectors:

Displacement, 2 km, 45
Velocity, 60 km/h, N
Force, 12 N, down
2

V = 1000 km/h, S

km

W = 50 N, down

Adding and subtracting of vectors:

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

B

A B

A B

R A B

Adding as opposed to subtracting

A
Determine:

R A
r B r

R A B

R A B

A ( B)

r
R

The Parallelogram method:

A

R A B

r
R

Splitting a vector into components:

R
x

r
Ry
Ry R sin

Rx

Rx R cos

R Rx R y
Ry
tan
Rx
1

Splitting a vector into components:

r
Ry

Rx

The two components Rx and Ry will have

the same effect as the original vector R.

Split the following force into two

perpendicular components such that
one component is perpendicular to
the incline plane, and
the other component is parallel to
the incline plane.

mg sin

mg

mg cos

mg sin

mg cos

2-2 Average velocity

distance covered
Ave speed =
time taken
displacement
Ave velocity =
time taken
Speed is a scalar quantity, but velocity is
a vector having size and direction.

2-3 Instantaneous velocity

r
r x
ave. v
t

x
x2

x1
t1

t2

r
x
r
instantaneous velocity = v lim
t 0 t

2-4 Acceleration
change in velocity
Ave acceleration =
time interval
r
r v
a
t

r
r
v
instantaneous acceleration = a lim
t 0 t

Questions:
Is the following statement true or false?
If the velocity of an object is zero, then
the acceleration must also be zero.
Can a stationary car be accelerating?
What is the acceleration of a car moving
at a constant 100 km/h along a straight
road?

Questions:
Is the direction of the displacement,
velocity and acceleration always the
same?
What is the direction of the displacement,
velocity and acceleration of a car that
comes to a stop due to its brakes?

2-7

Free falling objects

Gravitational acceleration, g:
A body close to the earths surface
experiences an acceleration (called
gravitational acceleration (g)) with a
size of 9,8m/s2 and in a direction
pointing to the centre of the earth.