Scalar and Vector Quantity

Course Outcome 1
PHY01: General Physics 1

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What is Physics?
• Is a natural science; it deals with natural phenomena.
• Physics is also called Physical Science – it may seem redundant, but it
is to emphasize that the goal is to discover the laws governing the
physical universe.
• Physics is the fundamental natural science because it examines the
principles that applies to all parts (astronomy, biology, chemistry, and
geology et. Al ) of the physical world.

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Units and Measurements
• The unit is a unique name we assign to measure the amount of a
physical quantity.
for example, meter (m) for the quantity of length.

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Units and Measurements
• SI Units, which stands for French phrase “Le Systeme Intenational
d’Unites”
• Employs meter (m) as the unit of length, the kilogram (kg) as the unit
of mass, and the second (s) as the unit of time.

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Units and Measurements

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Units and Measurements
• Other systems of units are in common use, too, such as CGS system
(centimeter, gram, second system), and the BE system (British
Engineering system.)

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Units and Measurements
• Prefixes and symbols used to
denote multiples of powers of 10.

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Units and Measurements
• The Bus #0076 of the Bus Rapid System travelled 100,000 feet in the
morning, then another 40 km in the afternoon. Calculate the total
distance travelled by Bus #0076.

• REMEMBER! that only quantities with the same units can be added or
subtracted.

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Units and Measurements
Converting between two units:
1. In all calculations, write down the units explicitly.
2. Treat all units as algebraic quantities. When identical units are divided,
they are eliminated algebraically.
3. Use the conversion factors. Be guided by the fact that multiplying or
dividing an equation by a factor of 1 does not alter the equation.
4. Check to see that your calculations are correct by verifying that the units
combine algebraically to give the desired unit for the answer. Only
quantities with the same units can be added or subtracted.

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Units and Measurements

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Units and Measurements

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Units and Measurements
EXAMPLE
The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela,
with a total drop of 970.0 m. Express this drop in feet.

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Units and Measurements
EXAMPLE
Express the speed limit of 65 miles/hour in terms of meters/second.

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Trigonometry
Trigonometry is one of the branch of mathematics that we will use in
problem solving. Throughout the text, three trigonometric functions
will be used: sine, cosine and tangent.

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Trigonometry
SOH-CAH-TOA
𝑜 PYTHAGOREAN
sin 𝜃=
h THEOREM
2 2 2
𝑎 h =h𝑜 +h𝑎
cos 𝜃=
h

𝑜
tan 𝜃 =
𝑎

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Trigonometry
EXAMPLE
On a sunny day, a tall building casts a shadow that is 67.2 m long. The
angle between the sun’s rays and the ground is θ=50.0°. Determine the
height of the building.

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Trigonometry
EXAMPLE
A lakefront drops off gradually at an angle θ, as Figure indicates. For safety
reasons, it is necessary to know how deep the lake is at various distances from
the shore. To provide some information about the depth, a lifeguard rows
straight out from the shore a distance of 14.0 m and drops a weighted fishing
line. By measuring the length of the line, the lifeguard determines the depth to
be 2.25 m.
(a) What is the value of θ?
(b) What would be the depth d of the lake at a distance of 22.0 m from the
shore?

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Trigonometry

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Trigonometry

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Scalar and Vector Quantity
Physical quantities are classified into two main categories:
• Scalar Quantities – is one that can be describes by a single number
(including any units) giving its size or magnitude.
• Vector quantities – is one the deals with both magnitude and
direction.
SCALAR: A
VECTOR:

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Scalar and Vector Quantity
SCALAR QUANTITIES VECTOR QUANTITIES
• Length • Displacement
• Area • Velocity
• Volume • Acceleration
• Speed • Force
• Density • Weight
• Pressure
• Temperature
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Scalar and Vector Quantity
QUESTION
There are places where the temperature is + 20°C at one time of the
year and - 20°C at another time. Do the plus and minus sign that signify
temperatures imply that temperature is a vector quantity ?

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Scalar and Vector Quantity
Determine if Scalar or Vector:
(a) I walked 2 miles along the beach.
(b) I walked 2 miles due north along the beach.
(c) I jumped off a cliff and hit the water traveling at 17 miles per hour.
(d) I jumped off a cliff and hit the water traveling straight down at a
speed of 17 miles per hour.
(e) My bank account shows a negative balance of −25 pesos.

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Scalar and Vector Quantity
• Two vectors are equal if they have the same magnitude and same
direction.
• When adding two or more vectors, they must have the same units.
• Vectors can be added algebraically or geometrically.
• The sum or the combination of two or more vector is called Resultant
Vector.

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Scalar and Vector Quantity
EXAMPLE
A car moves along a straight line, with a displacement vector  of 275 m,
due east. Then the car moves again in the same direction, with a
displacement vector   of 125 m, due east. These two vectors add to give
the total displacement vector 

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Scalar and Vector Quantity
EXAMPLE:
A blue car that first travels with a displacement vector  of 300 m, due
east, and then with a displacement vector of 450 m, due north. The
two vectors add to give a resultant displacement vector . Find .

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Scalar and Vector Quantity
Finding Resultant using Graphical Method:
1. Arrows are drawn tail to head
2. The lengths of the vector are drawn to a scale using a ruler
3. Use of protractor for measurement of direction.

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Scalar and Vector Quantity
Vector Subtraction
The subtraction of one vector from another is carried out in a way that depends
on the following fact. When a vector is multiplied by -1.
EXAMPLE:
A woman climbs 1.2 m up a ladder, so that her displacement vector D is 1.2 m,
upward along the ladder.
A displacement of vector – D is (-1)D,
has the same magnitude but is
opposite in direction.

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Scalar and Vector Quantity
In practice, vector subtraction is carried out exactly like vector addition.
These vectors add together to give a third vector  , according to = +
However, we can also write this result as   and treat it as vector
addition. 

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Scalar and Vector Quantity
Vector Components
• The components and , when added vectorially, convey the same
meaning as does the original vector  .  and   are not just any two
vectors that add together to give the original vector  : they are
perpendicular vectors.

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Scalar and Vector Quantity
EXAMPLE
A displacement vector r has a magnitude of r = 175 m and points at an
angle of 50.0 ° relative to the x axis in the figure. Find the x and y
components of this vector.

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 Scalar and Vector Quantity
EXAMPLE
A jogger runs 145 m in a direction 20.0° east of north (displacement vector  ) and then 105
m in a direction 35.0° south of east (displacement vector  ). Using components, determine
the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector   for these two displacements.

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Unit Vector
• A unit vector is a vector that has a magnitude of 1, but no
dimensions. We will use a caret (^) to distinguish it from other
vectors. Thus,
• X^ is a dimensionless unit vector of length l that points in the
positive x direction, and
• Y^ is a dimensionless unit vector of length l that points in the
positive y direction.

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Unit Vector
EXAMPLE
If x^ and y^ are unit vectors in x and y direction respectively, express b
in terms of x^ and y^.

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Kinematics
Course Outcome 1
PHY01: General Physics 1

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
• Kinematics is the study of how things move.
• Kinematics (from Greek , kinein, to move) is the branch of classical
mechanics that describes the motion of objects without consideration
of the causes leading to the motion.

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
Linear Motion
• Linear or translational kinematics is the description of the motion in
space of a point along a line, also known as trajectory or path.
• This path can be either straight (rectilinear) or curved (curvilinear).

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
Subscripts
Terms with the subscript “O” – denotes initial or starting or original
value or your initial reference value
XO : means initial position in x-axis

Terms with the subscript “F” – denotes final or end value at a certain
condition (time or displacement)
VF : means end reference velocity

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
Displacement (Vector)
F Distance (Scalar)
The change of position. (units : m, cm, km, ft)
Δx = xF – xO
s = xF – xO
=S
F
Time Interval
The time difference between two events.
(units : sec, min, hr)
t = tF – t O
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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
Velocity (Vector)
Speed (Scalar)
The rate of change of position with respect to time (interval) . units : km/hr, m/s, ft/s
Average Velocity

From this equation we can derive :

This is only applicable when acceleration is constant.

NOTE : These equations are useful if there is NO ACCELERATION

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 Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
Change in Velocity (V)

Instantaneous Velocity
The instantaneous velocity is the specific rate of change of position (or
displacement) with respect to time at a single point.
dx
t x = F(t) v(t) = dt tO tF
tF

tO x
XO XF XO XF

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
Acceleration
The rate of change of velocity with respect to time (interval).
units : m/s2 , km/hr2 , ft/s2

Average Acceleration Instantaneous Acceleration

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
Sign convention:
For Displacement & Velocity
• The sign convention would just tell if the object is going to the left
or right.
For Acceleration
• The sign convention would just tell if the object is speeding up or
slowing down.

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
Equations of Motion Five kinematic variables
1. Displacement (s)
2. acceleration (constant) (a)
(2) 3. final velocity (at time t) (vF)

(3) 4. initial velocity (vo)

5. elapsed time (t)

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
Problem Solving Strategy
1. Make a drawing.
2. Decide which directions are to be called positive (+) and negative (-). Use a standard
sign convention.
3. Write down the values that are given for any of the five kinematic variables.
4. Verify that the information contains values for at least three of the five kinematic
variables. Select the appropriate equation.
5. When the motion is divided into segments, remember that the final velocity of one
segment is the initial velocity for the next.
6. Keep in mind that there may be two possible answers to a kinematics problem.

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
EXAMPLE
A hiker travels in a straight line for 40 mins with an average velocity of
magnitude 1.25 m/s. What distance does he cover during this time?

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
EXAMPLE
A car odometer reads 22,487 km at the start of a trip and 22,891 km at
the end. The trip took 4 hours. What was the car’s average speed in
m/s?

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
EXAMPLE
A hobbyist is testing a new model rocket engine by using it to propel a
cart along a model railroad track. He determines that its motion along
the x-axis is described by the equation : x(t) = (0.160 m/s2) t2 . Compute
for the magnitude of the instantaneous velocity of the cart at time t = 3
seconds.

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 Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
EXAMPLE
A car has velocity v given as a function of time v(t) = A + Bt 2 , where A = 4 m/s & B = 0.2 m/s3 .
Calculate :
a. The average acceleration for the time interval tO = 0 to tF = 5 sec.
b. The magnitude of the instantaneous acceleration for t = 0 and t = 5 secs.

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
EXAMPLE
What is the acceleration of a car that travels in a straight line at a
constant speed of 150 km/hr?

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
EXAMPLE
What is the acceleration of a car that travels in a straight line at a
constant speed of 150 km/hr?

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
EXAMPLE
A car is traveling along a straight road at 10 m/s. It accelerates
uniformly for 25 seconds until it is moving at 35 m/s. What was the
acceleration?

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 Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
EXAMPLE
A car covers a distance of 50 m in 10 seconds while smoothly slowing down to a final speed of 2.5
m/s.
A) Find the car's original speed.
B) Find the car's acceleration.

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 Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
EXAMPLE
A subway train starts from rest at a station and accelerates at a rate of 1.60 m/s2
for 8s. It runs at constant speed for 70s and decelerates at 2.5 m/s2 until it stops
at the next station. Find the total distance (traveled) covered.

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
VERTICAL MOTION (ALONG Y-AXIS)
The displacement is now VERTICAL. We refer to it as HEIGHT.
Δy = h
Acceleration here is a fixed value called the gravitational acceleration (g).
g = 9.8 m/s2 = 980 cm/s2 = 32 ft/s2
For height and velocity – The sign convention would just tell if the object is
going down (−) or up (+).
Sign Convention for gravitational acceleration (g) – ALWAYS NEGATIVE

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
Formula:

For Vertical Motion:

Free Fall:

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
Free Falling Body Object Thrown Upward

At the highest level the velocity is zero

tO yO VO VH = V = 0
tH y VH = V = 0 tH y

Δt Δy or h Δt1 Δt2
Δy or h

Going Up Going Down = Free Fall

tF yF VF tO yO VO tF yF VF

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Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
EXAMPLE
If a flea can jump to a height of 0.75 m, what is its initial velocity as it
leave the ground?
For Vertical Motion:

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 Kinematics: Motion along a Straight Line
EXAMPLE
A student throws a water balloon vertically downward from the top of a building. The balloon
leaves the thrower’s hand with a speed of 15 m/s.
a.What is its speed in 5 seconds?
b.How far does it fall in 2 seconds?
c.What is the magnitude of the velocity after falling 10 m? For Vertical Motion:

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
Projectile Motion
A projectile is any body that is given initial velocity and then follows a path
determined by the effects of gravitational acceleration and air resistance.
• Motion along a curved path or trajectory
• Elements of both straight-line motion & freely-falling bodies apply here.
Consider a projectile (ball) thrown at an angle instead of horizontally

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
+y Vy = 0
V1y V1
V = Vx V2x
V1x Δymax or H V2
Vo V2y
Voy
VFx
θ
+x
(0,0) Vox R θ
Origin
−y VFy VF

* VF = Velocity @ impact ≠ 0 VFx = x-comp of VF VFy = y-comp of VF

VO = Initial/Project Velocity VOx = x-comp of VO VOy = y-comp of VO
V = Velocity @ Highest point Vx = x-comp of V Vy = y-comp of V
Vn = Velocity @ a certain point Vnx = x-comp of V1x, V2x..etc Vny = y-comp of V1y, V2y..etc
Ex V1, V2

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
HORIZONTAL Vox = VO cosθ {x-component of VO}
For a projectile , the HORIZONTAL component
+y
of the velocity is CONSTANT
V = Vx = Vox
t
V2x = Vox
V1x = Vox

VFx = Vox
θ
+x
(0,0) Vox θ
Origin s Since VX ‘s are the same :
−y Hence aX = 0
Using Kinematics Equation (2) to determine s at any time (t)
s = VOXt
s = VOXt + ½ aXt 2

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
VERTICAL Voy = VO sinθ {y-component of VO}
For a projectile , the VERTICAL component of the velocity is
+y NOT CONSTANT
Vy = 0
V1y
V
t

h V2y
Voy
θ
θ +x
(0,0)
Using Kinematics Equation (2) to determine h at any time (t)
Origin
−y h = VOYt + ½ aYt2 VFy
aY = g = − 9.8m/s2 = − 980cm/s2 = − 32 ft/s2
h = VOYt + ½ gt2

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
X - Component Y - Component
VOY = VOsinθ
VOX = VOcosθ
VnY = VOY + gt
VOX = VX = V1x = V2x = VnX VY = 0

S = VOX t h = VOY t + ½ gt2

VnY2 = VOY2 + 2gh

g= − 9.8 m/s2 = − 980 cm/s2 = − 32 ft/s2

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
Projectile Equations
• Maximum Height • Time to reach End Range (tR)
•=
• Time to Reach Maximum Height
•=
• Range
•= Note :
g=+ 9.8 m/s2 = + 980 cm/s2 = + 32 ft/s2

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
COMMON LEVEL VELOCITY
+y Vy = 0
V1
V1y V = Vx V2x |V1|= |V2|
V3y V1x
V2y
V3 V2 V4x |V3| = |V4|
V3x
V4y V4
Voy
Vo VFx
θ
(0,0) Vox θ
* VF = Velocity @ impact ≠ 0 +x
Origin
−y VFy VF
Due to its trajectory, the projectile passes again the same vertical level going down,
Velocity at that level are equal in magnitude, with their vertical components, equal in
magnitude but opposite in direction and their horizontal components perfectly equal.

|V1| = |V2| V1y = −V2y V1x= V2x

|V3| = |V4| V3y = −V4y V3x= V4x

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
HORIZONTALLY FIRED PROJECTILE
+y
VOy = Vy =0
(0,0) Here VO = Vx
Origin VO V1x All previous equations are
V1
useful.
Δymax or H
V1y
VFx
EXCEPT : Range & Max. Height
θ +x
Δx

−y VFy VF

VF = Velocity @ impact ≠ 0 VFx = x-comp of VF VFy = y-comp of VF

VO = Initial/Project Velocity VOx = x-comp of VO VOy = y-comp of VO
V = Velocity @ Highest point Vx = x-comp of V Vy = y-comp of V
Vn = Velocity @ a certain point: Vny = y-comp of V1y, V2y..etc
Vnx = x-comp of V1x, V2x..etc
Ex V1, V2
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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
BEYOND RANGE
+y
Vy =0

V V2x

H V2
V2y
VFx
F +x
θ
R VFx
VFy VF
−y

At point F : Set VF as your initial velocity. Then apply the principles of

horizontally fired projectile, but note that V Fy is NOT zero
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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
EXAMPLE
A bullet is fired at an initial velocity of 350 m/s and at an angle of 50° with the
horizontal. Neglecting air resistance. Determine:
(a) The range,
(b) The travel time of the bullet before hitting the ground

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
EXAMPLE
A bullet is fired at an angle of 75° with the horizontal with an initial velocity of 420
m/s. How high can it travel after 2 seconds? How far horizontally did it travel after
that same 2 seconds?

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
EXAMPLE
A plane is flying horizontally at 350 km/hr at an altitude of 420 m. At this instant, a
bomb is released. How far horizontally from this point will the bomb hit the
ground?

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
EXAMPLE
A plane is flying horizontally at 350 km/hr at an altitude of 420 m. At this instant, a
bomb is released. How far horizontally from this point will the bomb hit the
ground?

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Kinematics: Motion in Two-Dimensions
EXAMPLE
A ball is thrown from a tower 30 m high above the ground with a velocity of 300
m/s directed at 20° from the horizontal. How long will the ball hit the ground?

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Circular Motion
Uniform circular motion is the motion of an
object traveling at a constant (uniform) speed
on a circular path.
As an example of uniform circular
motion, Figure shows a model airplane on a
guideline. The speed of the plane is the
magnitude of the velocity vector v, and since
the speed is constant, the vectors in the
drawing have the same magnitude at all
points on the circle.

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Circular Motion
EXAMPLE
The wheel of a car has a radius of r = 0.29 m and is being rotated at 830
revolutions per minute (rpm) on a tire-balancing machine. Determine
the speed (in m/s) at which the outer edge of the wheel is moving.

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Circular Motion
Centripetal Acceleration
The centripetal acceleration of an object moving with a
speed v on a circular path of radius r has a
magnitude ac given by

Direction: The centripetal acceleration vector always

points toward the center of the circle and continually
changes direction as the object moves.

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Circular Motion
EXAMPLE
The bobsled track at the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway,
contained turns with radii of 33 m and 24 m. Find the centripetal
acceleration at each turn for a speed of 34 m/s, a speed that was
achieved in the two-man event. Express the answers as multiples
of g = 9.8 m/s2.

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Circular Motion
Centripetal Force
The centripetal force is the name given to the net force
required to keep an object of mass m, moving at a speed v,
on a circular path of radius r, and it has a magnitude of

Direction: The centripetal force always points toward the

center of the circle and continually changes direction as the
object moves.

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 Circular Motion
EXAMPLE
The model airplane in Figure has a mass of 0.90 kg and moves at a constant speed on a circle
that is parallel to the ground. The path of the airplane and its guideline lie in the same
horizontal plane, because the weight of the plane is balanced by the lift generated by its
wings. Find the tension in the guideline (length = 17 m) for speeds of 19 and 38 m/s

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 Circular Motion
EXAMPLE
• At what maximum speed can a car safely negotiate a horizontal unbanked turn (radius = 51
m) in dry weather (coefficient of static friction = 0.95) and icy weather (coefficient of static
friction = 0.10)?

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Circular Motion
Banked Curves
When a car travels without skidding around an
unbanked curve, the static frictional force between the
tires and the road provides the centripetal force.
The reliance on friction can be eliminated completely
for a given speed, however, if the curve is banked at an
angle relative to the horizontal, much in the same way
that a plane is banked while making a turn.

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Circular Motion
Banked Curves
• The radius of the curve is r, where r is measured parallel to
the horizontal and not to the slanted surface. Part b shows
the normal force FN that the road applies to the car, the
normal force being perpendicular to the road. Because the
roadbed makes an angle θ with respect to the horizontal,
the normal force has a component FN sin θ that points
toward the center C of the circle and provides the
centripetal force:

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Circular Motion
Banked Curves
• The vertical component of the normal force is FN cos θ and,
since the car does not accelerate in the vertical direction,
this component must balance the weight mg of the car.
Therefore, FN cos θ = mg. Dividing this equation into the
previous one shows that:

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Circular Motion
EXAMPLE
The Daytona 500 is the major event of the NASCAR (National
Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) season. It is held at the
Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida. The turns in
this oval track have a maximum radius (at the top) of r = 316
m and are banked steeply, with θ = 31°. Suppose these
maximum-radius turns were frictionless. At what speed would
the cars have to travel around them?

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End of Presentation

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