Chapter 3

VECTORS
Vectors and Scalers
• A single value, with a sign (as in a

temperature of 40°F), specifies a scalar.
• Temperature, pressure, energy, mass, and
time, for example, do not “point” in the
spatial sense. We call such quantities
scalars, and we deal with them by the rules
of ordinary algebra.
• A vector has magnitude as well as direction.

• A vector quantity is a quantity that has both
a magnitude and a direction and thus can be
represented with a vector.
Adding Vectors
Geometrically
Properties
• Commutative Law:
Vector addition, defined in this way, has two important
properties. First, the order of addition does not matter.
Adding to gives the same result as adding to (Fig. 3-3)
𝑎⃗ + 𝑏 = 𝑏 + 𝑎⃗ (3 – 2)
Associative Law:
Second, when there are more than two vectors, we
can group them in any order as we add them. Thus,
if we want to add vectors , , and , we can add and
first and then add their vector sum to . We can also
add and first and then add that sum to . We get the
same result either way, as shown in Fig. 3-4
𝑎⃗ + 𝑏 + 𝑐⃗ = 𝑎⃗ + 𝑏 + 𝑐 (3 – 3)
• The vector is a vector – 𝒃 with the
same magnitude as 𝒃 but the
opposite direction (see Fig. 3-5).
Adding the two vectors in Fig. 3-5
would yield
𝑏+ −𝑏 = 0
Vector Subtraction:
• Thus, adding − 𝑏 has the effect of subtracting 𝑏 . We use this
property to define the difference between two vectors: let 𝑑⃗ = 𝑎⃗ − 𝑏
𝑑⃗ = 𝑎⃗ − 𝑏 or 𝑎⃗ + ( −𝑏 ) (3 – 4)
• Then that is, we find the difference vector by adding the vector to the
vector. Figure 3-6 shows how this is done geometrically. For
example, if we are given Eq. 3-4 and need to solve for 𝑎⃗ , we can
rearrange the equation as:
𝑑⃗ + 𝑏 = 𝑎⃗ or 𝑎⃗ = 𝑑⃗ + 𝑏 )
Components of Vectors
• Adding vectors geometrically can be tedious. A neater and

easier technique involves algebra but requires that the vectors
be placed on a rectangular coordinate system, as shown in Fig.
3-7a.
• A component of a vector is the projection of the vector on an
axis. In Fig. 3-7a, for example, 𝑎 is the component of vector 𝑎⃗
on (or along) the x axis and 𝑎 is the component along the y
axis. To find the projection of a vector along an axis, we draw
perpendicular lines from the two ends of the vector to the axis,
as shown. The projection of a vector on an x axis is its x
component, and similarly the projection on the y axis is the y
component. The process of finding the components of a vector
is called resolving the vector
• A process of splitting a vector into its two mutually
perpendicular components one along x – axis and the other
along y – axis is called resolution of vector.
• We can find the components of 𝐴⃗ in Fig. geometrically from the
right triangle there:
𝐴 = 𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐴 = 𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 (3 – 5)
• To find angle 𝜃 and hypotenuse we can use:
A= 𝐴 +𝐴 and tan 𝜃 = ( 3 – 6)
Sample problem (3.01)
Sample Problem (3.02)
Addition of Vectors
I. Head to Tail Rule:

• a process in which the tail of a vector is
joined with the head of the previous vector
is called head to tail rule.
• Resultant vector can be obtained by joining
the tail of resultant with the tail of first
vector and its head with the head of the last
vector.
II. Parallelogram Law:
• All angles are not 90 degree.

• Opposite angles and opposite
sides are equal.
• Resultant vector is the diagonal
of the parallelogram.
Vector Addition of Forces
• The screw eye is subjected

to two forces F1 and F2.
Determine the magnitude
and direction of the resultant
force.
Vector Resolution of Forces
Resolve the 200-lb for acting on the pipe
in the x and y directions.
Vector Resolution of Forces
Resolve the 200-lb for acting on the pipe
in the x’ and y’ directions.
Cartesian Vector Notation
F  Fx i  Fy j F '  F 'x i  F ' y j

Coplanar Force Resultants
FRx   Fx
FRx   Fx
FRy   Fy
Magnitude and Direction
2 2
FR  FRx  FRy
FRy
  tan 1
FRx
3 – Step Process
• a) Resolve the forces in their x-y components.

• b) Add the respective components to get the resultant vector.
• c) Find magnitude and angle from the resultant components.
Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.
Answer
• FR = ((162.8)2 + (521)2) ½ = 546 N
•  = tan–1(521/162.8) = 72.64°
• From Positive x axis

 = 180 + 72.64 = 253 °
Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.
• Home Task
Answer
• FR = ((16.82)2 + (3.49)2)½ = 17.2 kN
•  = tan-1(3.49/16.82) = 11.7°

Chapter 3

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VECTORS

Vectors and Scalers

• A single value, with a sign (as in a

• A vector has magnitude as well as direction.

• Adding vectors geometrically can be tedious. A neater and

I. Head to Tail Rule:

• All angles are not 90 degree.

• The screw eye is subjected

F  Fx i  Fy j F '  F 'x i  F ' y j

• a) Resolve the forces in their x-y components.

• From Positive x axis

• FR = ((16.82)2 + (3.49)2)½ = 17.2 kN

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