General Physics Module 2
General Physics Module 2
GENERAL PHYSICS 1
Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Vectors and Vector Addition
General Physics 1 – Grade 12
Self-Learning Module (SLM)
Quarter 1 – Module 2: Vectors and Vector Addition
First Edition, 2020
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GENERAL PHYSICS 1
Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Vectors and Vector Addition
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:
This module was collaboratively designed, developed and reviewed by educators both
from public and private institutions to assist you, the teacher or facilitator in helping
the learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Curriculum while overcoming
their personal, social, and economic constraints in schooling.
This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and independent
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In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the body of
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You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to manage
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The hand is one of the most symbolized part of the human body. It is often used to
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This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities for
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What I Need to Know This will give you an idea of the skills or
competencies you are expected to learn in the
module.
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Assessment This is a task which aims to evaluate your
level of mastery in achieving the learning
competency.
1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of the
module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other activities
included in the module.
3. Read the instruction carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through with it.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not
hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are
not alone.
We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning and
gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!
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What I Need to Know
This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master
the Vectors and Vector Addition. The scope of this module permits it to be used in
many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse
vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard
sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be changed to
correspond with the textbook you are now using.
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What I Know
Choose the letter of the answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.
Diagram 1
6. In the above diagram, if we take the square AA1A2B and assume each of the
side as 5m, what is the total distance covered by an object travelling the red
path?
a. 5m b. 10m c. 15m d. 20m
7. What is the displacement of the said object in diagram 1?
a. 5m b. 5m, A to B c. 5m, A1 to A2 d.15m, A to B
8. In which of the following situations are any vectors can be expressed as the
sum of vectors parallel to?
a. ground b. x and y axes c. magnitude d. direction
9. Which of the following are the components of a vector that indicate the
magnitude and direction of the three vectors along the axes?
a. x-axis onlyb. y-axis only c. x and y d. x, y and z
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a. x and y b. – or + c. – and + d. quadrant
11. What do the signs of a component (- & +) along the axis refer to?
a. Direction only c. magnitude and direction
12. What is the x-component of the vector displacement of a boy jogging 2.0km,
north then 0.5km to the east?
a. 2.0km, north b. 2.5km, NE c. 0.5km, east d. 2.5km, EN
13. What is the y-component of the vector displacements 500m,south then 350m,
west?
b. 500m b. 500m, south c. 350m,west d. 500m, SW
14. What is the magnitude of the resultant force as a result of adding F1= 1kN,
upward and F2= 2kN, down ward?
a. 1kN, downward. c. 1kN, upward
b. 3kN, up and down d. 3kN, downward
in fig. 1. Fx
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Fy
F
Fig. 1
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Lesson
What Are Scalar and Vector
1 Quantities?
Learning Objectives:
1. Differentiate vector and scalar quantities;
2. Draw the vector diagram of the given vector quantities using a vector arrow.
What’s In
Direction: Refer to figure 1 to answer questions below. Write your answer in your
notebook.
1. How are you going to come up with an accurate and precise measurement of the
distance of the boy walking to his house?
What’s New
The motion of any objects can be described by words and phrases such as
going fast, stopped, slowing down, speeding up and turning provide a sufficient
vocabulary for describing the motion of object. In this lesson, we will expand this
vocabulary list with words such as distance, displacement, speed, velocity and
acceleration.
Before we will go on further, let us pair closely related quantities and analyze
what makes them similar and different from one another base from your prior
knowledge on the meaning of the given quantities.
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Activity1. 2: My Twin Sibling
Direction: Identify the similarities and differences of the given paired quantities.
Use a phrase to express your answer. Write your answer in your notebook.
What have you notice on their common similarities and on their differences?
How about the similarity among distance, speed, mass, time and among
displacement, velocity, force and the acceleration?
What is It
Good day! Today we will learn about Scalar and Vector Quantities. The concept
of motion in physics is one of the important topics under Classical Mechanics. The
motion of an object with some mass can be described in terms of the following
fundamental and derived quantities which you have studied in the previews topic in
Measurement such as time, force, temperature, distance, displacement, speed,
velocity and acceleration.
Motion in Physics always choose a reference point, called the origin to
describe the location of something, we give its distance from the origin and the
direction. These two quantities, direction and distance, together constitute a
vector quantity called the position of the object. Today we are going to study the
difference between scalar and vector quantities.
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A scale will be used to make the magnitude of a vector smaller.
For example:
A. Vector displacement = 25 km, to the east
B. Scale could be 5km = 1cm to have the magnitude of your displacement
vector = 5 cm, to the east when you are going to illustrate it in your paper.
C. Parts of a vector arrow:
What’s More
Direction: Column A are lists of terms and quantities under Scalar and Vector,
Column B are their definitions.
A: Match Column A with Column B. Write the letter of the correct answer on
the space provided.
Column A Column B
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What I Have Learned
Activity1. 5: Complete Me
Direction:Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.
What I Can Do
Activity1. 6: Let’s Try it!
Direction: Describe in a sentence what are the first three actions/ movements that
you usually do after waking up in the morning and where is the direction of your
motion. Measure at least 3 distances that you covered . Draw a vector arrow that
shows your 3 displacements. Use a scale if needed. Do your task in a separate short
bondpaper.
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Lesson
Graphical Method (Head-to-Tail)
2 of Vector Addition
Learning Objectives
What’s In
Activity 2.1: Where Did He Go!
Direction: Make a simple sentence describing the motion of Marlo in figure 2 base
from the given scalar and vector quantities. Write your answer in your
notebook.
C: Mass C: Force
Sample sentence: Sample sentence:
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What’s New
Activity 2.2. Data Analysis
Direction: Consider the trip of Marlo from his house to the school (figure 1). It takes
3120 seconds (52minutes) for Marlo to reach school from his house traveling a total
distance of 9000m (9km). He has to walk from his house to the nearest tricycle
terminal (point B). He then takes a jeepney to the terminal nearest his school (point
C). At C, he takes a tricycle to school (point E).
Guide questions:
1. Where is the location of Marlo at 7:00 a.m.?
2. How far did Marlo from his house after 5 minutes of travel?
3. Where is the location of Marlo at 7:40 a.m.?
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What is It
Good day! Today we will learn how to add two or more vector quantities using
Head- to- Tail Graphical Method.
One of the STEM students, Marlo, monitored his trip from his home to school
for two weeks. He recorded his time of travel to and from school. He also estimated
the total distance he traveled from his house to school. There were slight differences
in his daily travel periods to cover the distances he marked, so he took averages of
it. We will use the data of Marlo’s trip from his house to the school
If we will use small letter d to represents the distance and d to represents the
vector displacement, therefore distance AB is the magnitude of the first
displacement d1 , distance BC is the magnitude of second displacement d2,
distance CD for d3 and distance DE for d4
As figure 1 shows, Marlo walked from his house (A) to his school (E). The arrow
represents the straight line distance from the starting point to the final position or
the magnitude of the displacement. The arrow’s head points to the direction of the
displacement.
AB + BC + CD + DE = total distance
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Vector quantities can be represented as arrows with lenghts drawn according
to a chosen scale. The length of the arrow should show the magnitude of the vector.
The four displacements can be added graphically in a head- to –tail manner. This
method of vector addition is done by drawing the first vector d1 from the reference
point A. Draw d2 with its tail starting from the head of d2.
Suppose that our scale for 1km = 1.0 cm on your paper.
d2 = 7.7km or 7.7cm
d1 = 0.3km
or 0.3cm
The vector sum or the resultant vector of two or more vectors being added
(added vectors) is drawn from the tail of the first drawn vector d1 to the tip of the
last drawn vector. The magnitude of dR could be measured using a ruler and the
direction could be measured using a protractor.
d2 = 7.7km or 7.7cm
d1 = 0.3km dR
or 0.3cm
We can draw these conclusions in adding vectors along the same line:
1. If two vectors are in the same direction, their sum is in the same direction and
its magnitude is the sum of the magnitude of the two.
Example: If you and your friend push a heavy trunk with forces F1 of 200N and F2
of 300N in the same direction, the net effect is that of a 500N force in that direction.
FR = 500N
Vector diagram in Graphical method:
F1=200N F2 =300N
2. If two vectors are in opposite directions, the magnitude of their sum is the
difference between the magnitude of the two vectors (following the rules of
addition of signed numbers – example 5 + (- 10) = -5 , 10 +(- 5) = 5 )
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Note: In the coordinate system,
north direction is in positive y- axis
South direction is in negative y - axis
East direction is in positive x - axis
West direction is in negative x- axis
Example: vector d1 = 6m, East and vector d2 = 9m, West
d2
dR d1 dR = d1 + (-d2) = 6m +(- 9m) = - 3m or
3m, west
3. The only way that two vectors can add to zero is if they are equal in
magnitude but opposite in direction.
4. If the direction of the two vectors being added are in perpendicular to each
other, such as going to the north to the east or going to the south and to the
west, use the ruler to measure the magnitude of the resultant vector and use
the protractor to measure the angle of direction on the tail/origin of motion.
d1 dR
What’s More
Materials: ruler, protractor, you may use different color of ballpen in every
displacement and a short bond paper.
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Figure 1: Marlo’s route from his house to school
AB = 0.3km
BC = 8.0 km – 0.3km = 7.7km
CD = 8.6km – 8.0km =0.6km
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What I Can Do
Direction: Write a story of your simple trip like in figure 1 (Marlo’s trip from his
house to school). Draw a sketch of your displacements from your original position to
where you are going to go/final destination of your travel as figure 1. Monitor your
time of travel in every displacement. Measure every distance that you covered ( d1,
d2, d3, ...) Use a scale if needed. Do your task in a separate short bondpaper.
What to accomplish:
a. Identify your displacement vectors.
b. Determine graphically the resultant of your displacements.
c. What will be your resultant displacement after you go back home? Show the
vector addition with a diagram.
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Lesson
Component Method of
3 Vector Addition
Learning Objectives:
What’s In
Activity 3.1: Finding Components!
Direction: Add the given force vectors using head –to-tail method. Show the
resultant force F.
Vectors: Fx = 4.0N, east Fy = 6.0N, south
Scale: 1N = 2cm
Vector Diagram:
Note: Draw the vector diagram of the given vectors above.
Base from your vector diagram, identify the x and y components of the
force vector.
Fx = __________________________ Fy = ________________________________
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What’s New
Activity 3.2: Compare Me and You!
+y
+z
-x +x
Figure 3: Vector direction origin
-z
-y
Figure 4: Coordinate System
Compare figure 3 with figure 4, can you spot their similarities and
their differences?
How are they related?
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What is It
Good day! Today we will learn another method or way to add two or more
vectors. Any vector can be expressed as the sum of vectors parallel to the x and y
and if needed the z- axes. The x,-y- and z - components of a vector indicate the
magnitude and direction of the three vectors along the axes. A component has
magnitude, and an algebraic sign of positive (+) or negative (-). The sign of a
component indicates the direction along that axis. A positive x- component indicates
the direction of the positive x- axis, but a negative x-component indicates the
opposite direction (negative x-axis).
Consider force vector F in figure 2. We can think of F as the sum of two vectors,
one parallel to the x-axis and the other parallel to the y-axis.
Fx
560
Fy
Figure 2
In component method of adding vectors, we can find the magnitudes of the
components using the right triangle in figure 2 and the trigonometric
functions in figure 3.
Sin 0 = opposite side . angle 0 = b
hypotenuse c
c tan 0 = opposite side . angle 0 = b
adjacent side . angle 0 a
b 900 cos 0 = adjacent side . angle 0 = a
c hypotenuse c
a
Figure 3. Right triangle and trigonometric function
The length of the arrow represents the magnitude of the F, Given the value
of the resultant force F = 9.0N and the angle theta (0) = 560, we can find the
magnitude of the force in x-component in figure 2 by using the trigonometric
function;
cos 560 = adjacent side = /Fx/
hypotenuse F
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and to find the magnitude of the force in y-component in figure 2, we will use the
trigonometric function;
Fx = +F cos 560 = 9.0N (0.56) = 5.0N and Fy = - F sin 560 = -9.0N(0.83) = -7.5N
What if the situation or the given in the problem are the x- and y-
components of the vector and the unknown or being ask in the problem are
the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector?
Refer to figure 2 again.
b) To find the direction (angle 0 between F and the + x-axis), we will use the
equation;
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3. Add the y-components (with their algebraic signs) of the vectors to find the y-
component of the sum.
4. If necessary, use the x- and y- components of the sum to find the magnitude
and direction of the sum.
Example: Add the following vector displacements. Find the sum (resultant
displacement) of the x- and y- components.
d1 = 7cm, east d3 = 6cm, south
d2 = 4cm, north d4 = 3cm, west
dR = 20cm2 = 4.47cm
6. To find the direction of the sum, we will use the trigonometric function,
O = tan-1opposite
adjacent
Note: Refer to your vector diagram (head –to-tail) graphical addition of your
vectors to identify what vector component is the opposite and
adjacent side of your right triangle. Even when using the component
method to add vectors, the graphical method is an important first
step.
dx=4cm
O
dR dy= 2cm
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What’s More
Activity 3.2: Tilling the Garden
Direction: Illustrate the situation and show the vector diagram of the addition of
vectors using head-to-tail method before doing your analytical solutions in
component method. Show your answer in your notebook.
During lockedown due to COVID- 19, Rey developed his garden on his
backyard. While he is tilling his garden, he exerted a force on the handles of
the tiller that has components Fx = +85N and Fy = -132N. The x-axis is
horizontal and the y-axis points up. What are the magnitude and direction of
this force?
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What I Can Do
Direction: You may do your actual situational problem in your home/place. The given
value of the displacements in this sample problem could be changed by you according to
your choice. Make your own scale.
Sample Problem:
Suppose you drive your motorcycle (you may use your own vehicle) 6.0km, North before
making a right hand turn and driving 6.0km to the East. Finally, you make a left hand
turn and travels another 2.0 km to the north. What is the magnitude of your overall
displacement?
Assessment
Objective: In this activity, you can apply the concept of using a vector arrow to represent
the given vector quantity.
Direction: Choose the letter of your choice. Write the letter in a separate
short bond paper.
1. A paper plane is propelled straight upward from the ground and reaches a height.
After an elapsed time, measured from the time the paper plane was first fired off,
the plane has fallen back down to the ground, landing at the same spot from which
it was launched. What is the magnitude of the resultant velocity of the rocket during
this time is?
a. Zero b. equal to the gravity c. negative d. downward
2. Which of the following terms is the single vector that has the same effect with any
group of vectors?
a. magnitude b. resultant c. direction d. sum
3. The tension of the rope pulls the box up with a force equal to the downward pull
of its weight. What is the resultant or net force in the system?
a. zero b. 1newton c. none d. 2 newtons
4. When the resultant of the group of forces acting on the same object are balanced,
what is the resultant or net force?
a. Equal to the sum of all forces. c. less than the sum of all forces
b. Greater than the sum of all forces. d. zero
5. What is the resultant displacement of a 23km, to the east and another displacement
15km to the west?
a. 8km, W b. 8km, E c. 38km, E d. 38km, W
For numbers 6 to 9, refer to the situational problem below:
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A school bus traveling along a straight road from school was found to be 3.0
km north of the school 5minute later. In another 4.0 minutes, it was 4.0km
west of the school. Assuming that the bus traveled two straight roads from the
school to arrive at its final position.
6. Which of the following is the correct representation of the vector diagram of the
resultant displacement of the bus?
a. dR b. dR c. d.
dR
dR
7. Where is the location of the bus after 5 minutes of travel from the school?
a. 3.0km, north to school c. 3.0km,north of the school
b. 4.0km, west of the school d. 4.0km west to the school
8. How far did the bus travel after 9 minutes?
a. 6.4km b. 7km c. 7km, NW d. 7km, WN
9. If the bus returned to school after 15minutes of travel, what is the total displacement
of the bus in its return?
a. 6.4km, north b. 6.4km, west c. 7km, NW d. zero
10 What is the vector sum of a force of 27N directed north and a force of 55N directed
south?
a. 28N, N of S b. 28N, south c. 28N, north d. 82N, N of S
11. What is the vector representation of the resultant force as the sum of F1 = 2cm,
upward + F2 = 3cm, downward + F3 = 2cm, to the right?
a. b. c. d.
dR dR dR
dR
12. What is the resultant displacement of a girl who ran 5x around their 20sq.m.
lot and ended up to her original position?
a. 20m b. 40m c. 60m d. zero
13. What is the y-component of the vector displacement of a dog running 2.0km,
north then 0.5km to the east?
a. 2.0km, north b. 2.5km, NE c. 0.5km, east d. 2.5km, EN
14. What is the x-component of the vector displacements 500m, south then
350m, west ?
a. 350m b. 500m, south c. 350m,west d. 500m, SW
15. What is the magnitude of the resultant displacement of the two displacement
vectors with magnitude and direction of 3km, North and 3km, East?
a. 3km,NE b. 4km c. 4km,450 EN d. 15.6km, 450NE
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Additional Activity
Direction: Always follow the correct steps in solving this word problem. Use
your notebook for your answer.
A: Suppose you are standing on the floor doing your daily exercises. For one exercise, you
lift your arms up and out until they are horizontal. In this position, assume that the
deltoid muscle exerts a force of 270N at an angle of 15 0 above the horizontal on the
humerus (see fig.4). What are the x- and y- components of this force?
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What I have Learned – Lesson 2 Learned – Lesson 3
Activity 2.4 Activity 3.3 What I have
1. same - sum 1. x- and y-axes
2. difference - magnitude 2. right triangle
3. opposite 3. angles
4. positive 4. angle.
5. positive - positive velocities. 5. angle
negative displacements. 6. Pythagorean
Additional Activity – Activity 3.5
A: Exercise Is Good For You Assessment
8. c
Fx = -F cos 150 = - 270N x 0.9659 = -260N or 1. a 9. d
260N, to the left 2. b 10. b
Fy = + F sin 150 = 270N x 0.2588 = 70N or 70N, 3. a 11. a
4. d 12. d
upward
5. b 13. a
6. c 15. b
7. c
Presence of the direction Magnitude-have number and unit
Difference Similarity
4. Time vs. Acceleration
Presence of the direction Magnitude-have number and unit
Difference Similarity
3. Mass vs. Force
Presence of the direction Magnitude-have number and unit
Difference Similarity
2. Speed vs. Velocity
Presence of the direction Magnitude-have number and unit
Difference Similarity
1. Distance vs. Displacement
Lesson 1 - Activity 1.2: My Twin Sibling
What I have Learned – Lesson What’s More
1 Activity 1.5 Activity 1.4 A -
Lesson1 What I Know
1. magnitude - direction.
2. magnitude - direction. 1. c 1. a 11. a
3. direction - magnitude - 2. h 2. b 12. c
both. 3. b 3. c 13. b
4. vector. 4. i 4. b 14. a
5. speed - direction 5. j 5. a 15. d
6. scalar 6. a 6. c
7. much - what 7. g 7. b
8. position - arrow. 8. d 8. b
9. f 9. d
10. e 10. b
What’s New
Answer Key
References
Book
Tubal, G. and Pabellon, J., (2000) PHYSICS – Science and Technology For A Better
Life Third Edition, pages 25-27 and 49-51.
Websites
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DISCLAIMER
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) was developed by DepEd SOCCSKSARGEN
with the primary objective of preparing for and addressing the new normal.
Contents of this module were based on DEpEd’s Most Essential Learning
Competencies (MELCs). This is a supplementary material to be used by all
learners of Region XII in all public schools beginning SY 2020-2021. The
process of LR development was observed the production of this module. This
is version 1.0. We highly encourage feedback, comments, and
recommendations.