3.

Scalars
and
Vectors
!!!You need a protractor
for this section!!!
 Quick Revision - Physical Quantities
A physical quantity is a quantity that can be
measured and consists of a numerical
Derived magnitude and unit
Quantities

Base Quantity Derived Quantity

Base
Quantities Length (m) Area (m2)
Time (s) Volume (m3)
Mass (kg) Density (kg/m3)
Temperature (K) Speed (m/s)
Physical Quantities
 Scalars and Vectors
A Scalar Quantity is a quantity that has
magnitude (size) only
Scalars
A Vector Quantity is a quantity that has both
magnitude and direction
Vectors
Scalars Vectors
Distance (m) Displacement (m)
Speed (m/s) Velocity (m/s)
Mass (kg) Weight (N)
Physical Quantities Time (s) Acceleration (m/s2)
 Scalars and vectors - Closely related
There are certain physical quantities that are closely related but because of direction one is a
scalar and the other a vector. Its easy to confuse them!

Scalars Vectors

Distance (m) Displacement (m) Some of them share the

same units
Speed (m/s) Velocity (m/s)

Weight is known to always point

Mass (kg) Weight (N)
downwards because it’s a force that
acts towards the center of the Earth
 Scalars and vectors - Closely related
Distance and Displacement
N

5 km

2 km

1 km
Total distance = (1 + 2 + 5)km = 8 km W E

Displacement can be calculated by vector addition

which we will discuss soon S
 Scalars and vectors - Closely related
Speed and Velocity

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 400+300 𝑘𝑚

Scalars Speed and Distance are related : Average 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = = = 35𝑘𝑚/ℎ𝑟
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 10+10 ℎ𝑟𝑠

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 500𝑘𝑚
Vectors Displacement and Velocity are related : 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 = = = 25𝑘𝑚/ℎ𝑟
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 20 ℎ𝑟𝑠
 Addition of Scalars
Scalars are added using
simple arithmetic

Mass:
4𝑘𝑔 + 10𝑘𝑔 = 14𝑘𝑔
Scalars can be negative but
Time: not have a direction. With
3ℎ𝑟𝑠 + 28 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠 = 3ℎ𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 28 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠 temperature negative and
positive differentiate between
Temperature: hot and cold, but it does not
6℃ + −8℃ = −2℃ mean direction
 Addition of Vectors
Vectors have direction and this changes how
they add from Scalars

Addition of two or more vectors of the same kind

produces a resultant vector with magnitude and direction

Vectors can be represented by arrows:

- The length of the arrow = magnitude of vector
- Direction of the arrow = direction of the vector
 Addition of Vectors
We are going to look at primarily two methods of adding vectors parallel to each other or along a straight line:

4N 4N 4N 4N 6N 4N

4N 6N

Parallel in the same Parallel in the same Acting in opposite Acting in opposite
direction direction direction direction

Resultant force = 4N + Resultant force = 4N + Resultant force = 4N – Resultant force = 4N –

4N = 8N 6N = 10N 4N = 0 6N = -2N
(to the right) (to the right) (to the left)
 Addition of Vectors
We are going to look at primarily two methods of adding vectors at an angle to each other :

Adding
Vectors
Vector Triangle
Method (‘Head to
Tail’) Pythagoras’
Graphically
Theorem
(at any angle)
(at right angles)
Parallelogram
Method
 Addition of Vectors
We are going to look at primarily two methods of adding vectors at an angle to each other :

Adding
Vectors
Vector Triangle
Method (‘Head
to Tail’) Pythagoras’
Graphically
Theorem
(at any angle)
(at right angles)
Parallelogram
Method
 Addition of Vectors – Parallelogram Method
If two vectors acting at a point (point ‘O’) are represented by the sides of a parallelogram drawn from that point,
their resultant is represented by the diagonal which passes through that point of the parallelogram

Stage Stage Stage Stage

Draw vectors from Draw in two more Draw in a diagonal from ‘O
Select ‘O’
‘O’ to scale with the lines to complete the and measure its length
starting point
exact directions parallelogram The diagonal represents
The direction is given by the resultant in both
the angles or campus magnitude and direction.
direction(use a rule and
protractor to be accurate)
 Let’s try this one ☺
Using a scale of 1cm : 1N

Draw the force 6N,and at 45º draw force 4N.

Complete the parallelogram,
F1 = 4N
Measure the length of the diagonal line
and the angle from the 6N force (measure from the
45º horizontal line)

F2 = 6N
4N R
The figure above shows two forces,
45º
F1 and F2 acting on a body with an 18º
O
angle 45º between them. What is the 6N

resultant force, R? R = 9.3 N, and it makes an angle of 18º with the 6N force.
 Addition of Vectors – Triangle Vector Method
(‘head to tail’)

Starting point of Ending point of

arrow arrow
‘tail’ ‘head’
 Addition of Vectors – Triangle Vector Method
(‘head to tail’)

Stage Stage Stage Stage

You have two vectors Draw vector A to The starting point of The resultant vector or A and
A and B scale vector B (head) is B is the vector that joins the
drawn to scale at the starting point (head) of
end (tail) of vector A vector A to the ending (tail)
of vector B.
 Addition of Vectors – Triangle Vector Method
(‘head to tail’)

Stage Stage Stage Stage

B B
A
A
B A A
 Let’s try this one ☺
Using a scale of 1cm : 1N
Draw the force 6N,
and at 45º draw force 4N with its tail starting from
F1 = 4N 6N force’s head.
Draw and measure the length of the diagonal line that
45º joins the 6N and 4N forces as well as the angle from
the 6N force
F2 = 6N
R
4N
The figure above shows two forces,
18º 45º
F1 and F2 acting on a body with an O
6N
angle 45º between them. What is the
resultant force, R? R = 9.3 N, and it makes an angle of 18º with the 6N force.
 Addition of Vectors

4N R R
4N
45º 45º
18º 18º
O O
6N 6N

Parallelogram Method Vector Triangle Method

 Addition of Vectors
We are going to look at primarily two methods of adding vectors at an angle to each other :

Adding
Vectors
Vector Triangle
Method (‘Head
to Tail’) Pythagoras’
Graphically
Theorem
(at any angle)
(at right angles)
Parallelogram
Method
 Addition of Vectors – Pythagoras’ Theorem
If we know the lengths of two sides of a right-angled triangle, we can find the length of the third side.
It only works for right angles triangle – vectors at right angles (90º)

hypotenuse - c is the longest side of the triangle – the resultant

- a and b are the other two sides – the two vectors we
opposite are adding
𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2

adjacent 𝑐= 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2

- You calculate the resultant angle using trigonometry

 Let’s try this one ☺

4.0 N

3.0 N

Find the resultant force acting on the rocket shown above. What effect will the resultant
force have on the rocket?
 Let’s try this one ☺ – Pythagoras’ Theorem
a = 4.0 N
4.0 N
⍬
b = 3.0 N
c=R
3.0 N

𝑐= 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2
R = 5.0 N, acting at 36.9º below the
horizontal 𝑅= 4.02 + 3.02 = 5.0 𝑁
The rocket will be given an acceleration in this 3.0
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 = ,θ = 36.9°
direction 4.0
Let’s try this one ☺ – Parallelogram Method
4.0 N
O
4.0 N ⍬

3.0 N
R

3.0 N

R = 5.0 N, acting at xxº below

the horizontal
Let’s try this one ☺– Vector Triangle
Method
4.0 N
O
4.0 N ⍬
R
3.0 N
3.0 N

R = 5.0 N, acting at xxº below

the horizontal
1. Ngoni, Keisha and Britney are pulling a metal ring. Ngoni pulls with a force of 100 N in the
right direction and Keisha with a force of 140 N in the opposite direction. If the ring does not
move, what force does Britney exert if she pulls in the same direction as Ngoni?

2. A boy drags a suitcase along the ground with a force of 100 N. If the frictional force opposing
the motion of the suitcase is 50 N, what is the resultant forward force on the suitcase?

3. A picture is supported by two vertical strings; if the weight of the picture is 50 N what is the
force exerted by each string?
4. Using a scale of 1 cm to represent 10 N, find the size and direction of the resultant of forces
of 30 N and 40 N acting at right angles to each other

5. Find the size of the resultant of two forces of 5 N and 12 N acting

a. In opposite directions to each other
b. At 90° to each other

6. An aeroplane is flying towards the east in still air at 92m/s. A wind starts to blow at 24m/s
towards the north.
Draw a vector diagram to find the resultant velocity of the airplane. Give the angle between the
resultant and the easterly direction. Use a scale of 1.0 cm = 10m/s.
 Q7 Let’s try this one ☺
In an accident, a truck goes off the road and into a ditch. Two breakdown vehicles A and B are used to pull
the truck out of the ditch as shown in the Figure.
Let’s try this one ☺
At one point in the rescue operation,
breakdown vehicle A is exerting a force of
4000N, and breakdown vehicle B is exerting a
force of 2000N.
a) Using a scale of 1cm = 500N, make a scale
drawing to show the resultant force.[4]
Let’s try this one ☺
At one point in the rescue operation,
breakdown vehicle A is exerting a force of
4000N, and breakdown vehicle B is exerting a
force of 2000N.
b)Use your diagram to find the magnitude
and direction of the resultant force on the
truck [2]
c)State why the resultant force is an example
of a vector quantity [1]
Q8 Let’s try this one ☺
 Addition of Vectors
Given the three methods:

• Pythagoras’ Theorem
• Parallelogram Method
• Vector Triangle Method

Right – angled triangle: Pythagoras’ Theorem makes sense and it’s quicker and simpler

Two vectors at an angle: Parallelogram Method and Vector Triangle Method make sense
End of
Scalars and
Vectors!

Questions ???