PHYSICAL QUANTITIES

VECTORS & SCALARS

PHYSICAL QUANTITIES
Any number that is used to describe a physical
phenomenon quantitatively using a standard measurable
unit(s).
Example :
Length 3 m (meters)
Mass 80 kg (kilograms)
Time 3600 seconds
Weight 100 N (Newtons)
SCALAR QUANTITIES
Quantities that are described by only a single number which is its
Magnitude. Magnitude just tells how much of the quantity there
is.

Ex. 10 km, 100 km/hr
Mass, Volume and Time are scalars
VECTOR QUANTITIES
Quantities that are described by both magnitude and the
direction in space.

Ex. 10 km to the left, 100 km/hr eastward
Force , Velocity and Acceleration are vectors
GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF A VECTOR
Tail
Tip / Head
A
Vector Notation :
Scalar Notation :
A

ANGLE / DIRECTION
A
VECTOR QUANTITIES
VECTOR QUANTITIES
DIRECTION :
Given in terms of :
STANDARD ANGLES :
Degrees ()
Radians (rad)
180 = 3.1416 rad
180 = rad
VECTOR QUANTITIES
DIRECTION : Given in terms of NAVIGATIONAL (COMPASS) BEARINGS :
East
North
West
South
Northeast
Northwest
Southwest
Southeast
E
N
W
S
0
0
90
90
180
180
270
NE NW
270
SW
SE
45
45
135
135
225
225
315
315
DIRECTION :
With Angles measured or starting from the horizontal (East or West) as reference
, North of East , North of West
, South of East , South of West
Ex:
1. 50 , South of East
2. 30 , North of West
3. 40 , South of West
4. 80 , North of East
E
N
W
S
50
30
40
80
VECTOR QUANTITIES
DIRECTION :
With Angles measured or starting from the vertical (North or South) as reference
, East of North , West of North
, East of South , West of South
Ex:
1. 50 , East of South
2. 30 , West of North
3. 40 , West of South
4. 80 , East of North
E
N
W
S
50
30
40
80
VECTOR QUANTITIES
VECTOR RESOLUTION
VECTOR RESOLUTION
A process of combining two or more vectors acting at the
same point on an object to determine a single equivalent
vector known as the Resultant vector.
The resultant has the same effect as the multiple vectors
that originally acts on the object. The resultant vector is
also known as the Net vector.
VECTOR RESOLUTION
Resultant Can be determined in two ways :
2. Analytical Methods
1. Graphical Methods
These involve plotting and drawing the vectors (using a
convenient scale) and directly measuring the resultant
from these vectors.
These involve no scaled drawings. These are purely
computation that mostly involves trigonometry.
Provides the most accurate value for the resultant.
VECTOR RESOLUTION
1. Polygon Method
Graphical Methods
A
B
C
A
B
C
R
The resultant is determined by laying the vectors tail to head in series. Once the last vector is
in placed, the resultant is drawn from the tail of the origin vector up to the tip of the last
vector.
B
A
C
R
The commutative property applies here, you can start
at any vector and the resultant is always going to be
the same
VECTOR RESOLUTION
Graphical Methods
2. Parallelogram Method
A
B
C
A
B
C
R
Start with a pair of vectors drawn from the same origin. Make a parallelogram by projection.
The diagonal will be the resultant of the two vectors. If you have more than two given
vectors, pair the earlier resultant with the next given vector, and so on, the very last diagonal
will be the final resultant.
VECTOR RESOLUTION
Graphical Methods
NEGATIVE VECTORS
To graphically make a vector negative. Just shift the arrow head 180.
The magnitude remains the same
B
B
VECTOR RESOLUTION
1. Sine & Cosine Laws
Analytical Methods
B
A
R

sin
A
sin
B
sin
= =
A B
R
Sine Law :
Cosine Law :
R
2
= A
2
B
2
2AB

cos +
Useful when given two vectors
VECTOR RESOLUTION
Analytical Methods
2. Component Method
Components of a Vector can be thought of as the horizontal & vertical
projections of a vector
Useful for two or more vectors
A

A
X
A
Y
VECTOR RESOLUTION
Analytical Methods
2. Component Method
Mathematically the components of a vector are expressed as :
Useful for two or more vectors
A

A
X
= A cos
A
Y
= A sin
A

A
X
= A sin
A
Y
= A cos
Case 1 : measured from
horizontal axis
Case 2 : measured from
vertical axis
VECTOR RESOLUTION
Analytical Methods
2. Component Method : Sign Convention
The usual vector sign convention
follows the Cartesian coordinate
system.
x component values :
to the right (or East) are positive
to the left ( or West) are negative
y component values :
going up (or North) are positive
going down (or South) are negative.
+x
+y
- x
-y
VECTOR RESOLUTION
Analytical Methods
2. Component Method

X
= A
X
+ B
X
+ C
X
+ + Z
X

Y
= A
Y
+ B
Y
+ C
Y
+ + Z
Y
Algebraic Sum of ALL X-components
Algebraic Sum of ALL Y-components
Computing for the Resultant :
R =
X
2
+
Y
2

= tan
-1

Y
Standard Sign Convention
If
X
is + , it is going to the right or east

If
X
is , it is going to the left or west

If
Y
is + , it is going upward or north

If
Y
is , it is going downward or south

Useful for two or more vectors
Note : The angle computed here is ALWAYS measured from the
horizontal axis. ALWAYS between zero to 90. Refer to the sign
convention above for the correct bearing
UNIT VECTORS
+x
+y
- x
-y
+z
-z
Three-Dimensional Coordinate System
+y
-y
+x
-x




A
X
= A cos


A
Y
= A sin


A
X
= A cos


A
Y
= A cos


A
Z
= A cos


VECTOR COMPONENTS :
Review :
A
A
UNIT VECTORS
UNIT VECTORS
A unit vector is a vector whose magnitude is equal to one
and dimensionless. They are used to specify a determined
direction or simply pointer vectors.
A unit vector is sometimes denoted by replacing the arrow on a vector
with a "^" or just adding a "^" on a boldfaced character .
Unit vector for X-component vector
Unit vector for Y-component vector
Unit vector for Z-component vector
UNIT VECTORS
3D Vector is written in rectangular coordinate system as :
A
X
= A cos


A
Y
= A cos


A
Z
= A cos


Components are :
Magnitude of the 3D Vector :
Note : 3D vector becomes a 2D vector , when ONE of ANY of the components
becomes zero.
UNIT VECTORS
+z
-z
+y
-y
+x
-x
Plot: Vector A :
A = 3 5 + 4k
^
A
Addition/Subtraction: Simply get the sum or difference between
the same components.
Vector A :
A = 3 5+ 4k
Vector B :
B = 2 2 5k
A+B = 5 7 k
A = 3 5 + 4k
B = 2 2 5k
+
AB = 3 + 9k
A = 3 5 + 4k
B = 2 2 5k

^ ^
^
^
^
^
^
^
UNIT VECTORS
APPLICATION OF VECTOR RESOLUTION :
RELATIVE VELOCITY
Velocity : A vector quantity that is the rate of change in
position (displacement) over a time interval
Speed is the scalar part or the magnitude of velocity
Relative Velocity : The observed velocity of an object with
respect or relative to where the observer is oriented to
(frame of reference of the observer) .
Double Subscript Notation :
v
AB

This reads as velocity of object A relative to object B
Example :
Velocity of car on the road (earth)
v
CE

RELATIVE VELOCITY
Double Subscript Notation :
v
AC

This reads as velocity of object A relative to object C
Given two objects with different relative velocities :
If we want to know the relative velocity of A with
respect to C , then we get the resultant of these two :
v
BC

This reads as velocity of object B relative to object C
v
AC

= v
AB
+ v
BC

v
AB

This reads as velocity of object A relative to object B
RELATIVE VELOCITY
1. An airplane heading due south with an airspeed of 200kph is in a cross
wind of 10kph due west. How far does the airplane go in 2 hours and in what
direction?
ANS : S = 400.5 km, = 87.138 S of W
RELATIVE VELOCITY
RELATIVE VELOCITY
2. A boat is capable of making 9kph in still water is used to cross a river flowing at a
speed of 4kph.
a) At what angle () should the boat be directed so that the motion will be straight
across the river?
b) What is the resultant speed relative to the shore (earth)?
DOT & CROSS PRODUCTS
The dot product is denoted by " " between two vectors. The dot product
of vectors A and B results in a scalar value. Dot product is given by the
relation :

The dot product follows the commutative and distributive properties
Where is the angle between A & B
DOT PRODUCT
Alternative Equation
(If is not given, but the component are)
Given two vectors
P = AxB =
(+) (+) (+)
() () ()
A = A
x
+ A
y
+ A
z
k B = B
x
+ B
y
+ B
z
k
^ ^
CROSS PRODUCT
The cross product is denoted by "x " between two vectors. The cross
product of vectors A and B results in a vector.
Cross Product obtained using Determinants (3x3 matrix)
Cross Product obtained using this formula
CROSS PRODUCT
Magnitude of the Cross Product
The cross product has the following properties
Where P (the magnitude of the cross product) is
equal to the area of the parallelogram formed by the
two vector.
OR
DOT and CROSS PRODUCT
APPLICATION OF VECTOR RESOLUTION :
NAVIGATION via Displacement
Displacement (s) : A vector quantity that is the change in
position of an object.
Distance is the scalar counter part of displacement. It may
vary because there is a multiple (if not infinite) number of
ways to get from one point to another.
The magnitude of the displacement is considered as
a distance, in fact it is the shortest possible value for
distance.
s
This reads as displacement vector S
NAVIGATION via Displacement
1. Ace City lies 30 km directly south of Blues City. A bus, beginning at Ace
City travels 50 km at 37 north of east to reach Chapel City. How far and in
what direction must the bus go from Chapel City to reach Blues City?
Blues
Ace
Chapel
NAVIGATION via Displacement
2. An escaped convict runs 1.70 km due east of the prison. He then runs due
north to a friend's house. If the magnitude of the convict's total displacement
vector is 2.50 km, what is the direction of his total displacement vector with
respect to due east?
3. [P1.24] A sailor in a small sailboat encountered shifting winds. She sails 2km
east, then 3.5km southeast, and then an additional distance in an unknown
direction. Her final position is 5.8km directly east of the starting point. Find the
magnitude and direction of the third leg of the journey.
Given :
A = 2km
5.8 km
Start Finish

C = ?
45
Required : C &
Solution : Use Component Method
|R| = 5.8 km R = R
x
2
+ R
y
2
By observation R
y
= 0 , Hence R = R
x
= 5.8km

R
x
= A
x
+ B
x
+ C
x
R
y
= A
y
+ B
y
+ C
y
5.8km

= +2km + 3.5km(sin 45) + C
x
Vectors : (+) and (+).
5.8km

= 4.475km + C
x
1.325km

=C
x
0

= 0 3.5km(cos 45) + C
y
2.475km

=C
y
u
v
C = C
x
2
+ C
y
2
= (1.325 km)
2
+ (2.475 km)
2

C = 2.807km
NAVIGATION via Displacement
3. 1.24. A sailor in a small sailboat encountered shifting winds. She sails 2km
east, then 3.5km southeast, and then an additional distance in an unknown
direction. Her final position is 5.8km directly east of the starting point. Find the
magnitude and direction of the third leg of the journey.
Given :
A = 2km
5.8 km
Start Finish

C = ?
45
Required : C &
Divide by
u v
2.475km

C
y
1.325km

C
x
=
1.868 = tan

= tan
-1
( 1.868 )

= 61.837 N of E

NAVIGATION via Displacement