Vectors-1

Vectors
A vector is a mathematical object consisting of a magnitude (size) and a direction.

A vector can be represented graphically by an arrow:

direction of arrow =
direction of vector

length of arrow = magnitude of vector


Vector quantity written in bold (A) or with a little arrow overhead ( A )

A (no arrow) = A = magnitude of the vector = positive number

Examples of vector quantities: position, velocity, acceleration, force, electric field.

y If two vectors have the same direction and the same

magnitude, then they are the same vector
A
Vector = magnitude + direction (not location)
A
A

A 
In 2D, need 2 numbers to specify a vector A : A and angle 
 
x



Addition of Vectors

y   
AB  C
B B
C
A
A

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   
Vector addition is commutative: A  B  B  A B A
C
Graphical addition: "tip-to-tail" or "tail-to-head" method: C
A B

Addition by "parallelogram method" (same result as tip-to-tail method)

C
B A
Can add lots of vectors (like steps in a treasure map: "take 20 steps east,
then 15 steps northwest, then…")
     
AB  CDE  S
E D

C
S B

Negative of vector (same size, opposite direction): A

A

Multiplication of a vector by a number:

b =3 bA c = 2 cB

A 3 times as negative c
B flips direction
long as A

Components of a Vector
  
y A  Ax  Ay

Ay A Ax = A cos  = x-component
Ay = A sin  = y-component

Ax x

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Ax
A cos    A x  A cos 
Ay A
 Ay
sin    A y  A sin 
Ax A

Components of a vector can be positive or negative.


( A  | A | is positive always, but Ax and Ay can be + or  )

Think of the Ax as the "shadow" or "projection" of the light

vector A cast onto the x-axis by a distant light source rays
directly "overhead" in the direction of +y. y

Components are numbers, not vectors. They do not have a A

direction, but they do have a sign, a (+) or (–) sign. If the 
"shadow" onto the x-axis points in the +x direction, then Ax x
is positive.
Ax

y
B Here, Bx is negative, because the x-projection is along the x
By direction.
By is positive, because the y-projection is along the +y direction.
Bx
x

Can specify a vector (in 2D) in two ways: by giving A,  OR Ax, Ay

A A  Ax 2  Ay2
Ay Ay
 tan  
Ax Ax

Example of vector math: Ax = +2, Ay = 3 What is the magnitude y

x
A, and angle with the x-axis?

A  22  32  49  13  3.6 3
A

3  3
tan      tan1    56.3o
2  2  2

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Vector Addition by Components:

Proof by diagram:
  
C  AB  y
C x  A x  Bx
C y  A y  By C
B

x
Ax Bx

Cx
Vector subtraction:
   
A  B  A  (B)  "substract" means "add negative of"
  
Graphically: D  A  B A B B

B B
D D
A A

        
D  AB D B  A is same as D  AB

Subtraction by components:
  
D  A  B  D x  A x  Bx
D y  A y  By

Position, Velocity, and Acceleration Vectors

Velocity is a vector quantity; it has a magnitude, called the speed, and a direction, which is the
direction of motion. Position is also a vector quantity. Huh? What do we mean by the
magnitude and direction of position? How can position have a direction?

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In order to specify the position of something, we must give

its location in some coordinate system, that is, its location location of object
y (x , y)
relative to some origin. We define the position vector r as
the vector which stretches from the origin of our coordinate
system to the location of the object. The x- and y-
components of the position vector are simply the x and y ry
coordinates of the position. Notice that that the position =y r
vector depends on the coordinate system that we have
chosen.
x
rx = x

If the object is moving, the position vector is a function of time r = r(t). Consider the position
vector at two different times t1 and t2, separated by a short time interval t = t2 – t1. (t is read
"delta-t") The position vector is initially r1, and a short time later it is r2. The change in
position during the interval t is the vector r = r2 – r1. Notice that, although r1 and r2 depend
on the choice of the origin, the change in position r = r2 – r1 is independent of choice of origin.
Also, notice that change in something = final something – initial something.

 r
In 2D or 3D, we define the velocity vector as v  lim .
t 0  t y
As t gets smaller and smaller, r2 is getting closer and closer to
r1, and r is becoming tangent to the path of the object. Note that r
the velocity v is in the same direction as the infinitesimal r , r2
since the vector v is a positive number (1/t) times the vector r. r1
Therefore, the velocity vector, like the infinitesimal r, is always
tangent to the trajectory of the object. x

v
y path of object y v
r
r
r2 r2 r
r v

r1
r

x x

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
 r
The vector equation v  lim has x- and y-components. The component equations are
t 0  t

x y   
v x  lim , v y  lim . Any vector equation, like A  B  C , is short-hand
t 0  t t 0  t

notation for 2 or 3 component equations: Ax  Bx  Cx , A y  By  Cy , Az  Bz  Cz

The change in velocity between two times t1 and t2 is v = v2 – v1 (remember that change is

 v
always final minus initial). We define the acceleration vector as a  lim . As we
t 0  t

mentioned in the chapter on 1D motion, the direction of the acceleration is the same as the
direction of v. The direction of the acceleration is NOT the direction of the velocity, it is the
“direction towards which the velocity is tending”, that is, the direction of v.

We will get more experience thinking about the velocity and acceleration vectors in the next few
chapters.

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