Vectors

For physics and calculus students

Prepared by Larry Friesen and Anne Gillis Butler Community College [Link]

Vectors
This project is a direct result of math/physics instructional discontinuity identified while attending the MAC3 workshop in August, 2006

Prepared by Larry Friesen and Anne Gillis Butler Community College [Link]

Vectors why?

Wherever we have a quantity with both a direction and a magnitude (amount or size), both pieces of information may be efficiently handled using vectors.

Vector (direction matters) velocity force Electric and magnetic fields

Non-vector = scalar Energy Temperature age numbers

Vector Representations
There are many ways to represent a vector. The simplest, visual way is with an arrow.

In this map of ocean currents above, the arrows indicate the direction of the movement of water

(image courtesy Hunter College, City University of New York)

 Actual vectors are drawn using straight

lines, however.

Vector Anatomy
There are several different words used to

describe the ends of the arrow

Tip , head , nose or terminal point

Base or foot or initial point

For the direction of the arrow to be meaningful, some sort of coordinate system is necessary
y In this first example, the vector is pointing in the negative x direction

In this second example, the vector is pointing West E (Google maps)

Scale

The length (or magnitude) of the vector is as important as its direction. Vectors are usually drawn to scale. The green arrow is twice as long as the red arrow which indicates it has twice the magnitude.
y If these were velocity vectors and the green vector represented a velocity of 10 m/s in the positive x direction, then the red vector would be interpreted as 5 m/s in the positive x direction.

End points
Typically use a Cartesian coordinate system In calculus, end and starting points important

The vector starts at (x1, y1) and ends at (x2, y2) 5 (2, 1) 5 10 x This vector starts on the point (2, 1) and ends on the point (10, 5)

y (10, 5)

Writing Vectors as an Ordered Pair

One handy way to write a vector is as an ordered pair. Use the end points and calculate < x 2-x1 , y2-y1>

So this vector can be written <10 - 2, 5 -1> which equals <8, 4>. 5 y (10, 5) (2, 1) 5 10 x

This is the vector <8,4>.

You can think of it as meaning go to the right 8 and up 4.

Components
For the vector <8,4>, the 8 and the 4 are the x

and y components for the vector.

y 5 (2, 1) 5 8 10 (10, 5) 4 x

In 3D
z 5 (4, 5, 5)

y 5 x (2, 2, 0) 5 10

The subtraction is extended to three dimensions by <x2-x1, y2-y1, z2-z1, > This is the vector <2, 3, 5> Its x-component is 2, its y-component is 3 and its z-component is 5

 In physics, where the vector is located is not

always important.
In this diagram, a force is being applied to the top left edge of the box. IF we are concerned about the possibility of tipping over or turning, the location of the force vector IS important On the other hand, if we are only concerned about the box sliding to the right where the force is applied on the left is NOT important.

 In calculus textbooks, vectors are usually

drawn as starting at the origin

y 5 (8, 4)

(0, 0) 5 10 x

Equivalent Vectors
These two vectors are equivalent.

They have the same length and direction.

y 5 (2, 1) (0, 0) 5 10 x (10, 5) 5

y (8, 4)

10

Translation

You can move vectors around on the coordinate system. So long as you do not change their length or orientation they are equivalent. In physics we consider them to be the SAME vector.
y 5 (8, 4)

(0, 0) 5 10 x

Naming Vectors

In physics, a vector is usually named with a single letter with an arrow above it. In physics textbooks, the letter may be simply in a bold font with no arrow.
A = <10, 3> A = <10, 3>

In calculus, the letters used to describe the end points are most commonly used to name the vector, with an arrow above.
y 5 P (10, 3) O (0, 0) 5 10 x OP =<10, 3>

Vector Length
To find the length (or magnitude) of a

vector use the Pythagorean theorem.

length = x 2 x 1 2 y 2 y 1 2
y 5

Q (10, 5)
(2, 1) 5 8 10 4 x

= 8 4 = 80
2 2

Vector Length
Lets call the vector PQ an additional name: u There are several different ways to denote the magnitude of the vector, for example: ||PQ|| = 8.94
4 x

y 5

Q (10, 5)

u
P
(2, 1) 5 8 10

|u| = 8.94 u = 8.94

In physics texts, the symbol for the vector in regular font, with no arrow means magnitude only

length = 8 4 = 80 =8. 94
2 2

Alternate method of Vector Notation

Another, common method of expressing vectors makes use of something called unit vectors. Unit vectors code for direction, only, and have by definition a length equal to 1 unit.

 In the diagram, the red arrow indicates that some

object (perhaps a car) has moved one mile north. Writing this as a vector, calling it the vector d, we could write
N

d= 1 mile N

If we preferred to superimpose a cartesian coordinate system on the map

The labels N and E have been replaced with x and y. To indicate in the positive y-direction we use a unit vector The convention for unit vectors varies from textbook to textbook.
yN

Unit vectors

For the x, y and z direction we often use

i, j,k
x So another way to write the red vector shown is

d= 1 mile

^ j

Other unit vector conventions

In physics texts, the ^ symbol is used and is called hat so that j with the ^ above it is read as j-hat. ^ Some physics textbooks use x, y, z instead: y Calculus textbooks tend not to use the ^ symbol. The letters i, j, k are still used but with a vector symbol above: For instance: j

Adding Vectors Pictorially

In the diagram, the movement of a car in two steps is indicated. First the car heads north (the red vector) and then east (the purple vector).

These two vectors illustrate an addition.

Notice how the two vectors are arranged -the tail of the second vector is touching the tip of the first.

Adding vectors pictorially (contd)

Here the vectors A and B are being added.

B

The result of the vector addition is called the resultant R

A

A B= R

R is the result of doing A and then B.

Adding pictorially

Here are the same two vectors, drawn at the origin. In order to add the vectors, we must move one of them so that its base is at the tip of the other.

y 5 A B x

10

Adding pictorially
Remember, translating a vector does not

change it.
B

y 5 A B x

10

Adding pictorially

Now the resultant is drawn

A B= R
y 5 A R

10

Components using unit vectors

A simpler way to add vectors involves simply adding their components

B = <1, - 4> A = <10, 3> Then to find A+B=R

Add the x-components of the two vectors and the y components of the two vectors (but dont mix x and y) R = <10+1, 3+ (- 4)> = <11, - 1>

Adding by components
In other words, if the resultant vector R can be

represented by <Rx, Ry , Rz> then the addition of two vectors A and B which are represented by <Ax, Ay, Az > and <Bx, By, Bz> then the vector R is given by R = <Rx, Ry, Rz >= <Ax+ Bx, Ay + By , Az + Bz>

Finding components via Trig

Often in physics, the components of a vector

are not given. The components need to be determined by the student from the angle and the magnitude of the vector. Usually a 2D problem, not 3D This is accomplished using basic trigonometry.

Trigonometric Definitions

You remember these basic definitions:

sin = b

c
a

cos =

c
b

tan =

Trigonometric Definitions

These can be rearranged to solve for the base and vertical side of the right angle triangle in terms of the angle and magnitude of the hypotenuse:

b = c sin a = c cos a c

Writing a vector in components

Consider the vector shown which we know has a length (magnitude) of 10 and makes an angle of 66o with the xdirection. The vector forms the hypotenuse, and we A need to draw in the other y 10 two sides of the triangle. 5 Drop a vertical line from the tip of the arrow 66o
5 10 x

Writing a vector in components

The horizontal and vertical sides of the triangle are the x and y components of the vector These are calculated using the trig definitions

Ax = 10 cos (66o) = 4.1

A
y 5 10

Ay = 10 sin (66o) = 9.1 So the vector can be written: A = <4.1, 9.1> or as

5 10 x

66o

A = 4.1 i + 9.1j

More on components

If the vector represents a physical quantity such as a velocity or force the vector will have units of measurement Lets take the same vector and write it as a velocity vector, which has units m/s. The units just tag along.

vx = 10 m/s cos (66o) = 4.1 m/s

y

v
10 m/s

vy = 10 m/s sin (66o) = 9.1 m/s So the vector can be written: v = <4.1 m/s, 9.1 m/s> or as

5 66o 5 10 x

v = 4.1 m/s i + 9.1 m/s j

If two vectors are being added, first write the vectors in terms of their components:
^ ^

Adding 2D vectors using components

A = <4.1, 9.1> or A = 4.1 i + 9.1j

Bx = 4 cos (-74o) = 1.1

y 5

A
10 - 74o 4 66o x 5 10

By = 4 sin (- 74o) = -3.8 So that B = <1.1, -3.8> or B = 1.1 i - 3.8 j

^ ^ B

Notice the y-component of the orange vector is negative it points downwards!

 Then, as before, add the components to find

the resultant.
R = <Rx, Ry > = <Ax+ Bx, Ay + By > R = <Rx, Ry > = <4.1+ 1.1, 9.1 + -3.8 > = <5.2, 5.3>

y 5

A
10 - 74o

R
66o

x 5 10

Order of addition

The order in which you add vectors does not matter.

A B= B A
R

Multiplication by a Scalar

What do you suppose the meaning of 2A is? The green vector is twice as long as the red vector. (click to see this) if you add the vector A to itself, you get a vector equivalent to the green vector. 2A

A So A + A = 2 A

Multiplication by Scalar (contd)

So it is apparent that multiplying by a number greater than one increases the magnitude of a vector. Multiplying by a number smaller than one, shrinks it This can be seen by working with the components as well Take the vector D = <-2, 6> shown in red The vector E = 1/2 D
y 5

= 1/2 <-2, 6> = <-1, 3>

E
x 5 10

Scalar multiplication
Multiplying by a negative number reverses

the direction of the vector:

A

-A

Vector Subtraction
In algebra, subtraction is sometimes thought of as adding a negative The same idea works with vectors.

What should A A equal? Zero!

A -A

Using the visual arrows A +(-A) ends up back at the starting point.

-A

Dot Product (vector multiplication)

The dot product (also called scalar product because the result is a scalar) is formed between two vectors The dot looks like the symbol used in regular multplication 6 = 23, but means something different. A vector is not a single number.

AB

Dot product

The dot product can be calculated using either

A B =< A x , A y , A z B x , B y , B z = A x B x A y B y A z B z
or

A B = AB cos
Where is the angle between the vectors

y 5 A B x

10

Dot product

In physics, the angle and the magnitude are usually known. In calculus, the equation is usually rearranged so that the angle can be determined from the dot product.

A B = AB cos
A B cos = AB

Physics version

Calculus version