CH 02 - Scalars & Vectors

Ch # 02: Scalars and Vectors XI Physics
Syllabus: Scalars and vectors, vector addition, multiplication of a vector by a

real number, zero vector and its properties, resolution of vectors, scalar and
vector products.
Physical Quantity: Any quantity which can be measured is called a

physical quantity.
Example: length, mass, time, current, temperature, weight, force etc.
Observation + measurement = Physics
Scalar
Physical Quantity
Vector
Scalar: Physical quantity which can be completely describe by its
magnitude with proper unit only. Scalars can be added, subtracted, multiply
and divide by simple arithmetic’s rule.
Example: Energy, mass, distance, time, speed, electric current, pressure etc.
Vector: Physical quantity which can be completely described by its

magnitude with proper unit as well as direction. Vectors cannot be added,
subtracted, multiply and divided by simple arithmetic’s rule.
Example: Displacement, velocity, acceleration, force, weight etc.
Some Important Points:

(i) Vector does not obey the laws of simple algebra.
(ii) Vector obeys the laws of vector algebra.
⃗a
(iii) Vector does not obey division law e.g. ⃗ is meaningless.
b
(iv) A scalar quantity never be divided by a vector quantity.
(v) The angle between two vectors is measured tail to tail, e.g., in the fig,
the angle between a⃗ and b⃗ is 60° not 120°.
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(vi) The angle between two vectors is always lesser or equal to 180°.
(i.e., 0 < 0 < 180°)
(vii) A vector never be equal to scalar quantity.
(viii) The magnitude or modulus of a vector quantity is always a scalar
quantity.
(ix) Two vectors are compared with respect to magnitude.
(x) The minimum value of a vector quantity is always greater than or
equal to zero.
(xi) If a vector is displaced parallel to itself, it does not change.
Representation of Vector:
(i) Symbolic Representation.

(ii) Graphical / Geometrical Representation.
(iii) Analytical Representation.
Symbolic Representation: Symbolically a vector is represented by a

A, ⃗
letter with an arrow head above or below it. e.g. ⃗ B, a⃗ , b⃗
Symbolically a vector can also be represented by a bold face letter.e.g.A, B, a, b
Magnitude of a vector: The magnitude of a vector is called modulus or

simply called a mod. of a vector. It is represented by a vector between two small
parallel lines.
e.g. |⃗
A| = Modulus of a vector ⃗
A OR Magnitude of a vector ⃗
A
The magnitude of vector can also be represented by an italic letter “A”.
Graphical / Geometrical Representation: Graphically a vector is
represented by a straight line which is drawn according to the selected scale

with an arrow head. The length of the line gives the magnitude of the vector
and arrow head indicates the direction of the vector. The arrow head can be
put on the extreme end of the line or at any other point of the line.
In order to represent a certain vector we require two things:
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(i) A suitable scale.

(ii) Direction:
 Direction indicator: In case of geographical direction.
 Reference Axes /Coordinate Axes: In case of angular direction.
Suitable Scale: A suitable scale is selected so that vector should have

length according to the magnitude of the vector.
Direction:
 Direction Indicator: Direction indicator consist of two mutually

perpendicular lines. The horizontal line indicates East – West and
vertical line indicates North – South. By comparing the arrow head of a
vector with direction indicator, we can say about vector direction.
 Reference Axes / Coordinate Axes:

o In Two Dimension:
Two lines drawn at right angles to each other are known as
coordinate axes and their point of intersection is known as Origin.
One of the line is named as X – axis and the other Y – axis.
Usually the X – axis is taken as the horizontal axis with the
positive direction to the right, and Y – axis as the vertical axis with
positive direction upward.
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 Cartesian or Rectangular Coordinate system: “The systems of

coordinate axes in which we use X and Y component of a vector is called
Cartesian or Rectangular coordinate system”.
In a Cartesian coordinate system a point P in a plane having coordinate (a, b)

can be represented by a representative line ⃗OP making an angle θ with positive
x – axis in anti clockwise direction as shown in the above figure.
The coordinates of point P (a, b) means that if we start from origin, we can
reach ‘P’ by moving ‘a’ unit along positive X – axis and then ‘b’ unit along the
positive Y – axis.
o Three Dimension vector representation in Cartesian Coordinates

system:
The direction of a vector in a space requires another axis which is at right

angle to both X and Y – axis. The third axis is called Z – axis.
The direction of a vector in space is specified by three angles which the

represented line of the vector makes with X, Y and Z – axis respectively. The
point P of a vector ⃗
A is thus denoted by three coordinate (a, b, c).
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Analytical Method: In analytical method vector is represented in terms of
unit vector (i^, ^j ,k^ ), which we will see in detail later.
Types of Vectors:
(i) Unit Vector.

(ii) Null Vector or Zero Vectors.
(iii) Parallel Vectors.
(iv) Anti Parallel Vectors.
(v) Collinear Vectors.
(vi) Coplanar Vectors.
(vii) Equal Vectors.
(viii) Position Vector.
(ix) Displacement Vector.
Unit Vector: A unit vector is a vector whose magnitude is unit i.e.

equal to one and points in particular direction. It is used to specify the
direction only. Unit vector is represented by putting a (^) over the
quantity.
A unit vector can be obtained by dividing the vector with its magnitude.
i.e.
Vector
Unit vector=¿
Magnitude of vector
If unit vector of vector ⃗

A is a^ , then
A
⃗
a^ = ⟹⃗ A|.a^
A =|⃗
|A|
⃗
Three very special unit vectors are i^ , ^j, k^
i^ is a unit vector in the x direction.

^j is a unit vector in the y direction.
k^ is a unit vector in the z direction.
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Collinear vectors
Vectors, which are having equal or unequal magnitudes and are acting along
parallel straight lines.
Coplanar vectors
Vectors parallel to the same plane, or lie on the same plane are called coplanar
vectors.
Zero or Null vector
Zero or Null vector is that vector which has zero magnitude and an arbitrary
direction and represented by 0
Negative vector
Negative vector of a given vector is a vector of same magnitude but acting in a

direction opposite to that of given vector.
Equal vectors
Equal vectors are those vectors that have equal magnitude and same direction.
Positon vector
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A vector that shows the position of a point in space with respect to a fixed
reference point normally origin is called position vector. It is normally
represented by ‘ r ’
Magnitude of position vector can be find by using Pythagoras theorem
(Hypotenuse) 2
= (Base) 2
+ (Perpendicular) 2
r 2=x 2 + y 2
|r| = r = √ x 2+ y 2
In three dimensional
|r| = r = √ x 2+ y 2 + z 2
Displacement vector
Change in position vector is called displacement vector
Displacement vector is that vector which tells how much and in which direction
an object has changed its position in a given interval of time.
Displacement Vector: Displacement vector of an object between two points is

the straight line between the two points irrespective of the path followed.
Displacement vector is a straight-line connection from his initial to his final

position.
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Ch # 02: Scalars and Vectors XI Physics

Syllabus: Scalars and vectors, vector addition, multiplication of a vector by a

Physical Quantity: Any quantity which can be measured is called a

Observation + measurement = Physics

Vector: Physical quantity which can be completely described by its

Some Important Points:

(i) Symbolic Representation.

Symbolic Representation: Symbolically a vector is represented by a

Symbolically a vector can also be represented by a bold face letter.e.g.A, B, a, b

Magnitude of a vector: The magnitude of a vector is called modulus or

The magnitude of vector can also be represented by an italic letter “A”.

Graphical / Geometrical Representation: Graphically a vector is

represented by a straight line which is drawn according to the selected scale

In order to represent a certain vector we require two things:

(i) A suitable scale.

Suitable Scale: A suitable scale is selected so that vector should have

 Direction Indicator: Direction indicator consist of two mutually

 Reference Axes / Coordinate Axes:

 Cartesian or Rectangular Coordinate system: “The systems of

In a Cartesian coordinate system a point P in a plane having coordinate (a, b)

o Three Dimension vector representation in Cartesian Coordinates

The direction of a vector in a space requires another axis which is at right

The direction of a vector in space is specified by three angles which the

Analytical Method: In analytical method vector is represented in terms of

unit vector (i^, ^j ,k^ ), which we will see in detail later.

(i) Unit Vector.

Unit Vector: A unit vector is a vector whose magnitude is unit i.e.

If unit vector of vector ⃗

Three very special unit vectors are i^ , ^j, k^

i^ is a unit vector in the x direction.

k^ is a unit vector in the z direction.

Zero or Null vector

Negative vector of a given vector is a vector of same magnitude but acting in a

Magnitude of position vector can be find by using Pythagoras theorem

Change in position vector is called displacement vector

Displacement Vector: Displacement vector of an object between two points is

Displacement vector is a straight-line connection from his initial to his final

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