Vector

Nur Islami, PhD

 Vector and Scalar
• A particle moving along a straight line can
move only two directions => positive and
negative
• For a particle moving in three dimensions, +
sign or – sign is no longer enough => Vector
 Vector and Scalar
A library is located 0.5 mi from you.
Can you point where exactly it is?
You also
need to
know the
direction in
which you
should
walk to the
library!
• All physical quantities encountered in this text will be either a scalar or a
vector
• A vector quantity has both magnitude (value + unit) and direction
• A scalar is completely specified by only a magnitude (value + unit)
 Vector and Scalar Quantities
 Vectors  Scalars:
 Displacement  Distance
 Velocity (magnitude and  Speed (magnitude of
direction!) velocity)
 Acceleration  Temperature
 Force  Mass
 Momentum  Energy
 Time
To describe a vector we need more information than to describe a
scalar! Therefore vectors are more complex!
 Important Notation
 To describe vectors we will use:
 The bold font: Vector A is A 
 Or an arrow above the vector: A

 In the pictures, we will always show

vectors as arrows
 Arrows point the direction

 To describe the magnitude of a

vector we will use absolute value
sign: A or just A,
 Magnitude is always positive, the
magnitude of a vector is equal to
the length of a vector.
 Properties of Vectors
• Equality of Two Vectors
– Two vectors are equal if they have the
same magnitude and the same direction
• Movement of vectors in a diagram
– Any vector can be moved parallel to itself
without being affected
 Negative Vectors
 Two vectors are negative if they have the same
magnitude but are 180° apart (opposite directions)

 
A  B; A  A  0
 Adding Vectors
• When adding vectors, their directions must be
taken into account
• Units must be the same
• Geometric Methods
– Use scale drawings
• Algebraic Methods
– More convenient
 Adding Vectors Geometrically (Triangle
Method)

• Draw the first vector with the
A
appropriate length and in the
direction specified, with respect to a  
coordinate system  A B 
• Draw the next vector B with the B
appropriate length and in the
direction specified, with respect to a
coordinate system whose origin is
the end of vector A and parallel to
the coordinate system used for : 
“tip-to-tail”. A
• The resultant
 is drawn from the
origin of A to the end of the last
vector B
 Adding Vectors Graphically
• When you have many
vectors, just keep
 
repeating the process A B

until all are included   

• The resultant is still A B C
drawn from the origin  
of the first vector to the A B
end of the last vector
 Adding Vectors Geometrically (Polygon
Method)
  
• Draw the first vector A with the A B
appropriate length and in the
direction specified, with respect
to a coordinate system

• Draw the next vector B with the 
B
appropriate length and in the
direction specified, with respect
to the same coordinate system
• Draw a parallelogram 
• The resultant is drawn as a A
diagonal from the origin
   
A B  B  A
 Vector Subtraction
• Special case of vector addition
– Add the negative of the 
subtracted vector B

 
A  B  A  B

• Continue with standard vector 

A 
addition procedure   B
A B
 Sample Problem 1
• In an orienteering class, you have the goal of
moving as far (straight-line distance) from base
camp as possible by making three straight-line
moves. You may use the following displacement
in any order: (a) a, 2 km due east (directly toward
the east). (b) b, 2 km 300 north of east (at any
angle of 300 toward the north from due east). (c)
c, 1 km due west. What is the greatest distance
you can be from base camp at the end of the
third displacement (use the geometrically
method)? (4.8 km)
 Describing Vectors Algebraically
Vectors: Described by the number, units and direction!

Vectors: Can be described by their magnitude and direction.

For example: Your displacement is 1.5 m at an angle of 250.
Can be described by components? For example: your
displacement is 1.36 m in the positive x direction and 0.634 m
in the positive y direction.
 Components of a Vector
• A component is a part
• It is useful to use rectangular
components These are the
projections of the vector
along the x- and y-axes a cos(90  q ) 90q
 a sin q q
a cos q
 Components of a Vector
• The x-component of a vector is
the projection along the x-axis
A
cos q  x Ax  A cos q
A
• The y-component of a vector is
the projection along the y-axis
Ay
sin q  Ay  A sin q
A
q • Then,   
A  Ax  Ay
 Components of a Vector
• The previous equations are valid only if θ is measured
with respect to the x-axis
• The components can be positive or negative and will
have the same units as the original vector
θ=0, Ax=A>0, Ay=0
θ=45°, Ax=Acos45°>0, Ay=Asin45°>0
ax < 0 ax > 0
θ=90°, Ax=0, Ay=A>0
ay > 0 ay > 0
θ θ=135°, Ax=Acos135°<0, Ay=Asin135°>0
ax < 0 ax > 0 θ=180°, Ax=-A<0, Ay=0
ay < 0 ay < 0 θ=225°, Ax=Acos225°<0, Ay=Asin225°<0
θ=270°, Ax=0, Ay=-A<0
θ=315°, Ax=Acos315°<0, Ay=Asin315°<0
 More About Components
• The components are the legs of the
right triangle whose hypotenuse is A

 Ax  A cos(q )

 Ay  A sin(q )

 A   A 2  A 2


x y

 Ay 1 
Ay 
tanq   or q  tan  

 Ax  Ax  q Or,

 Ay 
A 2
A A
x
2
y and q  tan  
1

 Ax 
 Sample Problem 2
• A small airplane leaves an airport on an
overcast day and is later sighted 215 km away,
in a direction making an angle of 220 east of
north. How far east and north is the airplane
from the airport when sighted?
(81 km east, 199 km north)
 Sample Problem 3
• The team traveling a net 2.6 km westward, 3.9
km southward, and 25 m climb upward. What
was their displacement vector from start to
finish? (4.69 km, 560 south of east and 0.30
of horizontal )
 Unit Vectors
• Components of a vector are vectors
  
A  Ax  Ay
• Unit vectors i-hat, j-hat, k-hat
iˆ  x ˆj  y kˆ  z
q • Unit vectors used to specify direction
• Unit vectors have a magnitude of 1
y
• Then
j
A  Axiˆ  Ay ˆj
i
x

z
k Magnitude + Sign Unit vector

A  Ax  Ay
 Adding Vectors Algebraically
• Consider two vectors

A  Axiˆ  Ay ˆj

B  Bxiˆ  By ˆj
• Then
 
A  B  ( Axiˆ  Ay ˆj )  ( Bxiˆ  By ˆj )
 ( Ax  Bx )iˆ  ( Ay  By ) ˆj
  
• If C  A  B  ( Ax  Bx )iˆ  ( Ay  By ) ˆj
• so Cx  Ax  Bx C y  Ay  By
Example : Operations with Vectors
 Vector A is described algebraically as (-3, 5), while
vector B is (4, -2). Find the value of magnitude and
direction of the sum (C) of the vectors A and B.
 
A  3iˆ  5 ˆj B  4iˆ  2 ˆj
  
C  A  B  (3  4)iˆ  (5  2) ˆj  1iˆ  3 ˆj
Cx  1 Cy  3
C  (Cx  C y )1/ 2  (12  32 )1/ 2  3.16
2 2

Cy
q  tan 1
 tan 1 3  71.56
Cx
 Sample Problem 4
• A vehicle is travelling at the available road as
following: from origin (a) to checkpoint A is 36
km , due east. From A to check point B (b),
due north. From B to checkpoint C (c) is 25 km
with the angle of 1350 from the north to
northwest. The net displacement from the
origin to point C (d) is 62 km. (a) Sketch the
vehicle track. (b) What is the magnitude of b
(42 km)
 Scalar Product of Two Vectors
• The scalar product of
two vectors is written
as A  B
– It is also called the dot
product
• A  B  A B cos q
– q is the angle between A
and B
 Dot Product
• The dot product says something
about how parallel two vectors
are.
• The dot product (scalar product)
of two vectors can be thought of
as the projection of one onto the
direction of the other.
  
A  B  AB cos q B

A  iˆ  A cos q  Ax
( A cos q ) B 
• Components q A

 
A( B cos q )
A  B  Ax Bx  Ay By  Az Bz
 Projection of a Vector: Dot Product
• The dot product says something
about how parallel two vectors iˆ  ˆj  0; iˆ  kˆ  0; ˆj  kˆ  0
are.
• The dot product (scalar product)
iˆ  iˆ  1; ˆj  ˆj  1; kˆ  kˆ  1
of two vectors can be thought of
as the projection of one onto the
direction of the other. 
  B
A  B  AB cos q Projection is zero

A  iˆ  A cos q  Ax
• Components
p/2
  
A  B  Ax Bx  Ay By  Az Bz A
 Derivation
 
• How do we show that A  B  Ax Bx  Ay B?y  Az Bz

• Start with A  A iˆ  A ˆj  A kˆ
x y z

B  Bxiˆ  By ˆj  Bz kˆ
 
• Then A  B  ( Axiˆ  Ay ˆj  Az kˆ)  ( Bxiˆ  By ˆj  Bz kˆ)
 Axiˆ  ( Bxiˆ  By ˆj  Bz kˆ)  Ay ˆj  ( Bxiˆ  By ˆj  Bz kˆ)  Az kˆ  ( Bxiˆ  By ˆj  Bz kˆ)

• But iˆ  ˆj  0; iˆ  kˆ  0; ˆj  kˆ  0
iˆ  iˆ  1; ˆj  ˆj  1; kˆ  kˆ  1
 
• So A  B  Axiˆ  Bxiˆ  Ay ˆj  By ˆj  Az kˆ  Bz kˆ
 Ax Bx  Ay By  Az Bz
 Sample Problem 5
• What is the angle q between a = 3i – 4j and b = -2i
+ 3k ?? And sketch the vector!
(1090)
 Cross Product
    
C  A B B sin q B

• The cross product of two vectors says something 

about how perpendicular they are. q A
• Magnitude: 
   A sin q
C  A  B  AB sin q
y
– q is smaller angle between the vectors
– Cross product of any parallel vectors = zero j i
– Cross product is maximum for perpendicular vectors x
k
– Cross products of Cartesian unit vectors: z

i
iˆ  ˆj  kˆ; iˆ  kˆ   ˆj; ˆj  kˆ  iˆ
iˆ  iˆ  0; ˆj  ˆj  0; kˆ  kˆ  0 j k
 Cross Product
• Direction: C perpendicular to
both A and B (right-hand rule)
– Place A and B tail to tail
– Right hand, not left hand
– Four fingers are pointed along
the first vector A
– “sweep” from first vector A into
second vector B through the    
smaller angle between them A B  B  A ?
– Your outstretched thumb points
   
the direction of C
A B  - B  A
• First practice
   
A B  B  A ?
 More about Cross Product
• The quantity ABsinq is the area of the
parallelogram formed by A and B
• The direction of C is perpendicular to the
plane formed by A and B
• Cross product is not commutative
   
A B  - B  A
      
• The distributive law A  (B  C)  A  B  A C
 
• The derivative of cross product
obeys the chain rule dt
 dt

d   dA   dB
A B   B  A
dt
• Calculate cross product
 
A  B  ( Ay Bz  Az By )iˆ  ( Az Bx  Ax Bz ) ˆj  ( Ax By  Ay Bx )kˆ
 Derivation
 
A  B  ( Ay Bz  Az By )iˆ  ( Az Bx  Ax Bz ) ˆj  ( Ax By  Ay Bx )kˆ
• How do we show that

?
A  Axiˆ  Ay ˆj  Az kˆ
• Start with 
B  Bxiˆ  By ˆj  Bz kˆ
 
A  B  ( Axiˆ  Ay ˆj  Az kˆ)  ( Bxiˆ  By ˆj  Bz kˆ)
• Then
 Axiˆ  ( Bxiˆ  By ˆj  Bz kˆ)  Ay ˆj  ( Bxiˆ  By ˆj  Bz kˆ)  Az kˆ  ( Bxiˆ  By ˆj  Bz kˆ)

iˆ  ˆj  kˆ; iˆ  kˆ   ˆj; ˆj  kˆ  iˆ iˆ kˆ
ˆj
• But  
A  B  Ax Ay Az
iˆ  iˆ  0; ˆj  ˆj  0; kˆ  kˆ  0 Bx By Bz

•  
So
A  B  Axiˆ  By ˆj  Axiˆ  Bz kˆ  Ay ˆj  Bxiˆ  Ay ˆj  Bz kˆ
 Az kˆ  Bxiˆ  Az kˆ  By ˆj
 Calculating Cross Products
   
Find: A  B Where: A  2iˆ  3 ˆj B  iˆ  2 ˆj
 
Solution: A  B  (2iˆ  3 ˆj )  (iˆ  2 ˆj ) i
 2iˆ  (iˆ)  2iˆ  2 ˆj  3 ˆj  (iˆ)  3 ˆj  2 ˆj
  j k
F  (2iˆ  3 ˆj ) N r  (4iˆ  5 ˆj )m
 0  4iˆ  ˆj  3 ˆj  iˆ  0  4kˆ  3kˆ  7kˆ

Calculate torque given a force and its location

  
Solution:   r  F  (4iˆ  5 ˆj )  (2iˆ  3 ˆj )
 4iˆ  2iˆ  4iˆ  3 ˆj  5 ˆj  2iˆ  5 ˆj  3 ˆj
 0  4iˆ  3 ˆj  5 ˆj  2iˆ  0  12kˆ  10kˆ  2kˆ (Nm)
 Summary
 Ax  A cos(q )

• Polar coordinates of vector A (A, q) 
 Ay  A sin(q )

• Cartesian coordinates (Ax, Ay) 
A   Ax    Ay 
2 2

• Relations between them: 



1 
Ay Ay 
• Beware of tan 180-degree ambiguity  tan  
q  or q  tan  

 A x  Ax 
• Unit vectors: A  Axiˆ  Ay ˆj  Az kˆ
• Addition of vectors:   
C  A  B  ( Ax  Bx )iˆ  ( Ay  By ) ˆj
Cx  Ax  Bx C y  Ay  By
aA  aAxiˆ  aAy ˆj
• Scalar multiplication of a vector:  
A  B  AB cos q  Ax Bx  Ay By  Az Bz
• Product of two vectors: scalar product
 and
 cross  
product
– Dot product is a scalar:  A and B A  B  AB sin q
– Cross product is a vector ( ):