MIDTERMS: FIRST QUARTER REVIEWER

GENERAL PHYSICS I
VECTOR & SCALAR
QUANTITIES Operations on Vectors
- Scalar quantities obey the ordinary rules of algebra
on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Definition of Terms - Vector quantities are treated in a different way. The
directions must be taken into consideration when adding,
Scalar Quantities
subtracting, and multiplying vectors
Quantities that can be described completely by
Vectors Addition
their magnitudes and appropriate units.
- The sum of two or more vector quantities is called
Magnitude
the resultant.
Numerical description of the variable being
- Resultant is the single vector that, if substituted in
measured.
place of several vectors to be added, would produce the
Distance same combined effect of these vectors.

Scalar quantity that only requires the total

magnitude of the distance traveled from the
starting point to the final destination.
Vector Quantities
Quantities that are completely described by their
magnitudes, appropriate units, and directions.
Displacement
Vector quantity that measure the distance Methods of Vectors Addition
between the starting point and the final
destination and its direction. Graphical Method
- Polygon method

Vector Representation - Parallelogram method

- An arrow represents a vector quantity. Analytical Method

- The length of the arrow is scaled to be proportional - Component method

to the magnitude of the vector quantity it represents. - Sine Law and Cosine Law
- The direction of the arrow indicates the direction of
the vector quantity.
Direction of a Vector
GRAPHICAL METHOD
- The direction of a vector is the acute angle it makes
with the east-west line. POLYGON METHOD
- The letter N or S is written after the measure of the
Two - Vector
angle followed by the phrase “of E or W”.
- Is done using an arrow with tail
- A direction of 60̊ south of west means that starting
and tip parts.
from west, you go south by 60̊.
- The tail is put exactly at the
original position and the tip
pointing at the destination.
- When the object moves again, a second arrow is used,
its tail is connected to the tip of the first arrow and its tip
is pointing to the object’s next destination
- The resultant displacement is the arrow from the
original position pointing the final destination.

PALAWAN NATIONAL SCHOOL

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION (STEMSA)
Bgy. Manggahan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
Telephone No.: PNS STEMSA 09684548804
E-mail Address: [email protected]
 MIDTERMS: FIRST QUARTER REVIEWER
GENERAL PHYSICS I
PARALLELOGRAM METHOD resultant is drawn from the tail of the first vector
to the head of the last vector.
(Two - Vectors)
STEP 5
- Is done by drawing
an exactly the same Measure the length of the arrow representing the
length of arrows resultant. Determine the magnitude of the
parallel to the original resultant from the scale used.
vectors. STEP 6
- The resultant displacement is the arrow connecting the Use your protractor to determine the direction of
merging tails to the merging tips. the resultant

SPECIAL CASES PARALLELOGRAM METHOD

1. For Two Vectors Acting in the same Direction (for more than two vectors)
The magnitude of the resultant is equal to the STEP 1
sum of the magnitude of the vectors. The
direction of the resultant is the same as the After drawing the resultant of the first two
directions of the vectors. vectors, construct a second parallelogram using
this resultant and the third vector as sides.
2. For Two Vectors Acting in opposite Direction
STEP 2
The angle between the two vectors is 180̊. The
magnitude of the resultant is the difference of Draw the diagonal of the parallelogram from the
the magnitudes of the vector. The direction of common point. This is now the new resultant.
the resultant is the direction of the larger vector.
STEP 3
3. For Two Vectors that are Perpendicular to each
The process is continued until all vectors have
other
been added.
The magnitude of the resultant can be obtained
STEP 4
by the Pythagorean theorem. The direction of
the resultant can be found by using any The magnitude of the final resultant is
trigonometric function of a right triangle. determined from the scale used. The direction is
measured using a protractor.

POLYGON METHOD
(for more than two - vectors) ANALYTICAL METHOD
STEP 1
Represent each vector quantity by an arrow COMPONENT METHOD
drawn to scale
STEP 2
Draw the first arrow on the rectangular
coordinate system, observing its direction
properly.
STEP 3 - Involves the calculations of the X and Y components
of each vector. The square
Connect the tail of the second vector to the head
of the first vector. Connect the tail of the third - The square of the resultant vector is equal to the square
vector to the head of the second vector. You of the summation of X plus the square of the summation
may continue drawing the vectors head to tail of Y or by the Pythagorean Theorem
until you draw the last vector to be added. - To solve for the value of components X and Y and to
STEP 4 determine the direction of the final angle of direction,
trigonometric functions will be used.
The resultant is the vector that will close the
figure formed by connecting the vectors . This

PALAWAN NATIONAL SCHOOL

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION (STEMSA)
Bgy. Manggahan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
Telephone No.: PNS STEMSA 09684548804
E-mail Address: [email protected]
 MIDTERMS: FIRST QUARTER REVIEWER
GENERAL PHYSICS I

COSINE LAW AND SINE LAW

- The steps are the same as in the polygon method
except that instead of determining the magnitude and
direction of the resultant by actual measurements, they
are computed using the sine law and cosine law

LAW OF COSINE
- The law of cosine states that the square of any side of
a triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the other
sides minus twice the product of two sides and the
cosine of the included angle.

LAW OF SINE
- The law of sine states that in any triangle, the sides
are proportional to the sine of the opposite angles.

PALAWAN NATIONAL SCHOOL

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION (STEMSA)
Bgy. Manggahan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
Telephone No.: PNS STEMSA 09684548804
E-mail Address: [email protected]