VECTORS
Scalar
Example Magnitude
A SCALAR quantity
is any quantity in Speed 35 m/s
physics that has
MAGNITUDE ONLY Distance 25 meters
Age 16 years
Number value
with units
A VECTOR Vector
Example
Magnitude and
Direction
quantity
is any quantity in Velocity 35 m/s, North
physics that has
BOTH Acceleration 10 m/s2, South
MAGNITUDE
and DIRECTION Displacement 20 m, East
Vector quantities can be
identified by bold type
with an arrow above the
symbol.
V = 23 m/s NE
Vectors are represented
by drawing arrows
The length and direction
of a vector should be
drawn to a reasonable
scale size and show its
magnitude
10 km
20 km
The vectors can plotted
in two different
coordinate systems
• Polar coordinate system
• Cartesian coordinate system
Lets understand these
systems
Representation of vector
Types of vector
There are 10 types of vectors
Zero Vector: A zero vector is a vector when the magnitude of the vector is
zero and the starting point of the vector coincides with the terminal point
Unit Vector : A vector which has a magnitude of unit length is called a unit
vector.
Position Vector: If O is taken as reference origin and P is an arbitrary point
in space then the vector OP−→− is called as the position vector of the
point.
Co-initial Vector: The vectors which have the same starting point are called
co-initial vectors
Like and Unlike Vectors :
• The vectors having the same direction are known as like vectors
• The vectors having the opposite direction with respect to each other are
termed to be unlike vectors.
Co-planar Vector : Three or more vectors lying in the same plane or
parallel to the same plane are known as co-planar vectors.
Collinear Vector : Vectors which lie along the same line or parallel
lines are known to be collinear vectors. They are also known as parallel
vectors.
Equal Vector : Two or more vectors are said to be equal when their
magnitude is equal and also their direction is the same.
Displacement Vector : If a point is displaced from position A to B then the
displacement AB represents a vector AB−→− which is known as the
displacement vector.
Negative of a Vector : If a point is displaced from position A to B then the
displacement AB represents a vector AB−→− which is known as the
displacement vector.
OPERATIONS IN VECTOR
• Addition
• Subtraction
• Multiplication
Vectors can be added using two methods
• Graphical method
• Numerical method
Graphical Method
Aligning vectors head to tail
and then drawing the
resultant from the tail
of the first to the
head of the last.
Graphical Vector Addition A + B
Step 1 – Draw a start point
Step 2 – Decide on a scale
Step 3 – Draw Vector A to scale
Step 4 – Vector B’s tail begin at Vector A’s head.
Draw Vector B to scale.
Step 5 – Draw a line connecting the initial start
point to the head of B. This is the resultant.
NUMERICAL Method
• Parallelogram law of addition method
• Resolution of vector method
PARALLELOGRAM LAW OF ADDITION METHOD
If the vectors are placed at the adjacent sides of a parallelogram and then
the diagonal emanating from the common point represents the sum or the
resultant of the two vectors and the direction of the diagonal gives the
direction of the resultant vector.
This method can be used for addition of only two vectors at a time
Resolution of vector method
Resolution of a vector
Method
Step 1 – resolve all vectors in their horizontal and vertical component
Step 2 – add all the horizontal and vertical component separately using
vector addition
Step 3 – use parallelogram law of addition method to find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant vector.