Vectors Physics PDF
Vectors Physics PDF
Vectors Physics PDF
Vectors Physics IIT JEE notes PDF includes all-important formulas, theorems, facts, and equations of
vectors. Vectors Physics IIT JEE notes PDF is beneficial for students who are preparing for the JEE exam.
Referring to these notes will help students to have a complete revision before the exam. It also helps
students to memorize all the important facts about vectors.
In Physics, we classify quantities into vectors and scalars. The quantities which have both magnitude and
direction are called vectors. Examples are velocity, force, displacement, weight, acceleration, etc. The
quantities which have only magnitude and no direction are called scalar quantities. Examples are mass,
volume, speed, time, frequency, etc.
A quantity is said to be a vector if it satisfies the following conditions.
(a) Obeys the law of parallelogram addition.
(b) Has a specified direction.
(c) The addition is commutative. i.e A+B = B+A
Table of Contents
● Representation of a Vector
● Position Vectors
● Dot Product of Two vectors
● Cross Product of Two Vectors
● Projection of a Vector
● Solved Examples
● Practice Problems
● Frequently Asked Questions
Representation of a Vector
A vector is represented by a line with an arrowhead. The point O from which the arrow starts is called the tail
or initial point or origin of the vector. Point A where the arrow ends is called the tip or head or terminal point
of the vector. A vector displaced parallel to itself remains unchanged. If a vector is rotated through an angle
other than 3600, it changes.
A vector can be replaced by another when its direction and magnitude are the same.
Unit Vector
A vector having unit magnitude is called a unit vector. It is used to denote the direction of a given vector.
Types of Vectors
(i) Negative of a Vector: It has the same magnitude but opposite direction of the given vector.
(ii) Equal vectors: If two vectors have equal magnitude and the same direction, then they are equal vectors.
(iii) Collinear vectors: Two vectors acting along the same straight lines or along parallel straight lines in the
same direction or in the opposite direction are called collinear vectors.
(iv) Coplanar vectors: If three or more vectors lie in the same plane, then they are called coplanar vectors.
(v) Zero vector: It is a vector with zero magnitude and no specific direction.
Addition of Vectors
Law of Triangle: If two sides of a triangle are shown by two continuous vectors (vector A and vector B), then
the third side of the triangle in the opposite direction shows the resultant of two vectors. (vector C).
Subtraction of vectors
While subtracting vectors, we change the direction of the vector to be subtracted and then add.
Null vector
If a vector A is multiplied by zero, we get a vector whose magnitude is zero called null vector or zero vector.
The unit of vector does not change on being multiplied by a dimensionless scalar.
Properties of Null vector
1) It has an arbitrary direction.
2) It is represented by a point.
3) It has zero magnitude.
4) Dot product of a null vector with any vector is always zero.
5) Cross product of a null vector with any vector is also a null vector.
6) When a null vector is added or subtracted from a given vector, the resultant vector is the same as the
given vector.
Orthogonal unit vectors
The unit vectors along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of the right-handed cartesian coordinate system are
Components of a Vector
Consider a vector V. The components of a vector in a 2D coordinate system are considered to be
x-component and y-component. We can represent V = (vx, vy). Let θ is the angle formed between the vector V
and x-component of the vector. The vector V and its x-component (vx) form a right-angled triangle if we draw
a line parallel to the y-component (vy).
The horizontal component vx = V cos θ
Vertical component vy = V sin θ
Position Vectors
Position vector is a vector that gives the position of a point with respect to the origin of the coordinate
system. The magnitude of the position vector is the distance of the point P from the origin O. Vector OP is
the position vector that gives the position of the particle with reference to O.
Consider point P whose coordinates are (x, y).
For a point P(x,y,z) in 3D coordinate system, or vector r is the position vector with origin O as the
initial point.
Magnitude of vector OP =
5) The scalar product of two parallel vectors is equal to the product of their magnitudes.
Cross Product of Two Vectors
The cross product of two vectors, A and B, is denoted by A × B. Its resultant vector is perpendicular to A and
B. Cross products are also called vector products. Cross product of two vectors will give the resultant a
vector and calculated using the Right-hand Rule.
Consider two vectors A and B. The cross product of A and B is a vector having a magnitude equal to the
product of the magnitudes of the two vectors and the sine of the angle between them, and having the
direction perpendicular to the plane containing these vectors. θ is the angle between them and is the
unit vector perpendicular to the plane of vector A and vector B.
Projection of a Vector
The projection of a vector on other vector is . If is a unit vector along a line L, the
projection of vector a on the line L is given by . The projection vector of is zero, if θ = π/2.
Practice Problems
1. If the angle between two vectors A and B is 1200 then its resultant C will be
(a) C = |A-B|
(b) C < |A-B|
(c) C > |A-B|
(d) C = |A+B|
2. Three concurrent coplanar forces 1 N, 2 N, and 3 N acting along different directions on a body
(a) can keep the body in equilibrium if 2 N and 3 N act at right angles
(b) can keep the body in equilibrium if 1 N and 2 N act at right angles
(c) cannot keep the body in equilibrium
(d) can keep the body in equilibrium if 1 N and 32 N act at right angles
3. Vector A has a magnitude of 5 units and lies in the XY- plane, and points in a direction 1200 from the
direction of increasing X. Vector B has a magnitude of 9 units and points along the Z-axis. The magnitude of
cross product A x B is
(a) 30
(b) 35
(c) 40
(d) 45
4. If a.b = |a×b|, then θ will be
(a) 450
(b) 600
(c) 300
(d) 750
5. The direction of A is vertically upward and the direction of B is in the North direction. The direction of A ×
B will be
(a) western direction
(b) eastern direction
(c) vertically downward
(d) at 450 upward north direction
6. A motorboat covers a given distance in 6 h moving downstream on a river. It covers the same distance in
10 h moving upstream. The time it takes to cover the same distance in still water is
(a) 9 h
(b) 7.5 h
(c) 6.5 h
(d) 8 h
Frequently Asked Questions