PHY 111-Mechanics and Thermal Properties of Matter

Lecture 2: Scalars and Vectors

G.T. Taulo

Department of Physics and Electronics, School of Natural and

Applied Sciences, UNIMA.
 Scalars and Vectors
• Scalars are quantities that have magnitude only, such as temperature, speed, mass, and
volume.

• Vectors are quantities that have both magnitude and direction, such as displacement,
velocity, acceleration and force.

• Vectors have the following properties:

• They are equal if they have the same magnitude and direction.

• They must have the same units in order for them to be added or subtracted.

• The negative of a vector has the same magnitude but opposite direction.

• Subtraction of a vector is defined by adding a negative vector.

 Scalars and Vectors
• Multiplication or division of a vector by a scalar results in a vector for which;
• Only the magnitude changes if the scalar is positive.

• The magnitude changes and the direction is reversed if the scalar is negative.

• Vectors are typically represented by an arrow whose direction is the same as that of the
quantity and whose length is proportional to the quantity's magnitude.

• The projections of a vector along the axes of a rectangular co-ordinate system are called the
components of the vector. The components of a vector completely define the vector.

𝐹𝑋 = 𝐹 cos 𝜃
𝐹𝑌 = 𝐹 sin 𝜃
𝑭 = 𝐹𝑋 𝒊Ƹ + 𝐹𝑌 𝒋Ƹ

X and Y components for vector 𝑭

 Adding Vectors and Scalars
• To add scalar quantities, we simply use ordinary arithmetic. 5 kg of silver plus 3 kg of silver
equals 8 kg of silver.

• When adding vector quantities of the same kind whose directions are the same, we use the
same arithmetic method.
• If you drive north for 5 km and then drive north for 3 more km, you have travelled 8 km north.
Check
• What if you drove 2 km South, then got out of your car and ran south for 5 km and walked 3
more km south. How far are you from your starting point?
 Addition of Vectors by Graphical Method
• If the motion is in two dimensions, the situation is somewhat more complicated.

• When the actual travel paths are at right angles to one another, we can find the displacement
by using the Pythagorean Theorem. For example, assuming one moves to the east by D1 km
and then to the north by D2 km.

𝑫𝑹 is the resultant displacement.

Its magnitude DR is found as:

𝐷𝑅 = 𝐷1 2 + 𝐷2 2

• Adding the vectors in the opposite order gives the same result. In the diagram above, 𝑫𝑹 can
as well be found as:
• 𝑫 𝑹 = 𝑫𝟐 + 𝑫𝟏
 Addition of Vectors by Graphical Method
• Even if the vectors are not at right angles, they can be added graphically by using the “tail-to-
tip” method.
• The parallelogram method may also be used by connecting tails of the vectors then adding
the resultant vector as the diagonal.

(a) Tail-to-tip

(b) Parallelogram

(c) Wrong
 4.0 N 5.0 N
Vectors at 0o
R= 9.0 N

R= 8.3 N
5.0 N
Vectors at 45o
4.0 N

R= 6.4 N
5.0 N

Vectors at 90o 4.0 N

Vectors at 180o
5.0 N 4.0 N

R= 1.0 N
 Vector Resolution by Components
• A Component of a vector is the projection of the vector on an axis.

• We find the components of a vector by resolving it into its x and y components using the
right-angled triangle.

• The vector 𝒂 below can be expressed as the sum of two other vectors, which are called its
components. Usually the other vectors are chosen so that they are perpendicular to each
other.

𝑎𝑋 = 𝑎 cos 𝜃
𝑎𝑌 = 𝑎 sin 𝜃
𝒂 = 𝑎𝑋 𝒊Ƹ + 𝑎𝑌 𝒋Ƹ

X and Y components for vector 𝒂

 Addition of Multiple Vectors by Components
1. Draw a vector diagram with all vectors starting from the origin of X-Y plane.

2. Resolve each vector into its x and y components using trigonometric relations.
3. Add up all the components in each direction.
• 𝑅𝑥 = 𝑉1𝑥 + 𝑉2𝑥 + … + 𝑉𝑛𝑥
• 𝑅𝑦 = 𝑉1𝑦 + 𝑉2𝑦 + … + 𝑉𝑛𝑦
4. To find the magnitude R and the direction θ of the resultant vector, we use:
• 𝑅= 𝑅𝑥 2 + 𝑅𝑦 2
𝑅𝑦
• 𝜃 = tan−1
𝑅𝑥
 Example 1
• Two forces are applied to a body as shown in the figure below. What is the magnitude and
direction of the resultant force acting on the body?
y
F1 = 12 N x
θ
R
F2 = 5.0 N

Solution
• Complete the parallelogram (rectangle).
• The diagonal of the parallelogram represents the resultant force.
• Resolving F1 and F2 into their components; 𝐹1𝑥 = 12 𝑁 and 𝐹1𝑦 = 0 𝑁; 𝐹2𝑥 = 0 𝑁 and 𝐹2𝑦 =
− 5.0 𝑁.
• For the X and Y resultants; 𝑅𝑥 = 12 𝑁 and 𝑅𝑦 = −5.0 𝑁.
• Therefore, 𝑅 = 𝑅𝑥 2 + 𝑅𝑦 2 = 13 𝑁.
𝑅𝑦
• The direction based on the angle θ will be found as 𝜃 = tan−1 = − 23°.
𝑅𝑥
• Therefore, the resultant force is 𝟏𝟑 𝑵 at the direction of −𝟐𝟑°.
 Example 2
• Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant of the three forces shown below.
y

F2=5.0N

F1=5.0 N x
135º

• Resolving the forces into their components;

• 𝐹1𝑥 = 5.0 𝑁 and 𝐹1𝑦 = 0 𝑁; 𝐹2𝑥 = 0 𝑁 and 𝐹2𝑦 = 5.0 𝑁.
• F3 must be treated carefully. Note that it is 45° down the –x axis.
• Therefore, 𝐹3𝑥 = −𝐹3 cos 45° = −7.07 𝑁 and 𝐹3𝑦 = −𝐹3 sin 45° = −7.07 𝑁.
• The x resultant will be; 𝑅𝑥 = 𝐹1𝑥 + 𝐹2𝑥 + 𝐹3𝑥 = −2.07 𝑁.
• The y resultant will be; 𝑅𝑦 = 𝐹1𝑦 + 𝐹2𝑦 + 𝐹3𝑦 = −2.07 𝑁.
 Example 2 continuation …
𝑅𝑥
45°

𝑅𝑦
𝑹

• The resultant force will be;

𝑅= (−2.07𝑁)2 + −2.07𝑁 = 2.9𝑁

𝐹𝑦 −2.07𝑁
• At an angle of, 𝜃 = tan−1 = tan−1 = 45° below the negative x-axis, or formally at an angle
𝐹𝑥 −2.07𝑁
of 225°.

• The resultant force is 2.9 N at 225°.

 Practical Applications
• Here we see a table being pulled by a force of 50 N at a 30° angle from the horizontal.

y=25 N

30º
x=43.3 N

• When resolved we see that this is the same as pulling the table up with a force of 25 N and
pulling it horizontally with a force of 43.3 N

• We can see that it would be more efficient to pull the table with a horizontal force of 50 N.
 The End
Thank you