chapter 3. vectors and coordinate systems our universe has three dimensions, so some quantities also...

Chapter 3. Vectors and Coordinate SystemsChapter 3. Vectors and Coordinate Systems

Our universe has three dimensions, so some quantities also need a direction for a full description. For example, wind has both a speed and a direction; hence the motion of the wind is described by a vector.Chapter Goal: To learn how vectors are represented and used.

•A scalar quantity is one that can be completely described by its magnitude (size). •Examples include temperature, energy, and speed •Some scalars can be described with negative numbers (1st two examples, above, but not the third). In that case the negative sign means the quantity is less than a positive quantity.

+30°C -30° C

•A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction.•Examples include velocity, force, and displacement•Vectors are never negative. A vector has a magnitude, which is an absolute value and a direction, which is usually given as an angle.•Vector components may be described with negative signs. In that case the negative sign never means less than. It means “left” or “down” on a graph, and west or south on a map.

The y component of velocity is – 40 m/s.

The y component of velocity is + 40 m/s.

Both cars are going at the exact same speed!

8 m4 m

Arrows are used to represent vectors. The direction of the arrow relative to some reference point (north or + x axis) gives the direction of the vector. The length of a vector arrow is proportional to the magnitude of the vector.

This is an example of a displacement vector with magnitude of 2 km and direction 30° north of east

Graphical Addition: Put the tail of one vector after the head of the other. The resultant vector is an arrow that starts where the first vector starts and ends where the second vector ends.

5 m 3 m

8 m

This is easy if the two vectors are co-linear, especially if they point in the same direction. These vectors add just like scalars.

If the two vectors are not in the same direction, then the graphical process is the same, but the magnitudes of the vectors can no longer be added like scalars.In this case, vector A has a magnitude of 27.5 cm due east and vector B has a magnitude of 12.5 cm in a direction 55° north of west. In order to get a value for the resultant vector, one needs a ruler and a protractor.

Vector Addition Problem

• Which figure shows A1 + A2 + A3?

Which figure shows ? A A A1 2 3

Multiplication by a scalar

Multiplication by a scalar serves to stretch or shrink the vector by a factor equal to that of the scalar.

1.6 Multiplication by -1 allows subtraction

When a vector is multiplied by -1, the magnitude of the vector remains the same, but the direction of the vector is reversed (i.e. the angle is increased by 180°).

1.6 Vector Addition and Subtraction

A

B

BA

A

B

BA

Note that A + B is not the reverse of A – B.

Multiplication by a negative scalarVector A has a magnitude of +2 and a direction of 30° from the positive x axis. Vector -3A has:

A. Magnitude -6; direction - 30°B. Magnitude -6, direction 210°C. Magnitude 6, direction 210°D. Magnitude 6, direction 30°

Multiplication by a negative scalarVector A has a magnitude of +2 and a direction of 30° from the positive x axis. Vector -3A has:A. magnitude -6; direction -30°B. Magnitude -6, direction 210°C. Magnitude +6, direction 210°D. Magnitude +6, direction 30°

The magnitude is an absolute valueTo reverse a vector, add 180°.

1.7 The Components of a Vector

. ofcomponent theand

component thecalled are and

r

yx

y

x


.direction negative in thepoint they if negative and

direction positive in thepoint they if positive arebut ,componentsvector

theiras magnitude same thehave and componentsscalar The

that so Theoremn Pythagorea theusing together add

and axes, and the toparallel are that and vectors

larperpendicu twoare of components vector The

yAxA

yxyx

.yAxAA

AA

A

Help! My calculator won’t tell me when a scalar component of a vector is negative if I use these acute angles as given. And inverse tangent doesn’t work right in quadrants other than the 1st . What do I do?

1. You can convert all angles from acute to their proper values. However, this doesn’t solve the problem for inverse tangent.

2. Better, use absolute values for all components. Draw the picture and determine which components should be negative and then manually insert the negative sign when needed.

3 Remember: “All Students Take Calculus” – whether they want to or not! Use this in conjunction with inverse tangent to determine the appropriate quadrant for θ.

AS

T C

In what quadrant is vector , for purposes of finding components and θ?

C

A. 1st

B. 2ndC. 3rdD. 4thE. Both 2nd and 4th

What are the x- and y-components Cx and Cy of vector ?

C

A. Cx = 1 cm, Cy = –1 cmB. Cx = –3 cm, Cy = 1 cmC. Cx = –2 cm, Cy = 1 cmD. Cx = –4 cm, Cy = 2 cmE. Cx = –3 cm, Cy = –1 cm

If the angle is given with respect to the y-axis, “opposite” and “adjacent” are switched:

C1x= - C1sin φ (x-comp. is opposite); negative by inspection

C1y = - C1 cos φ (y-comp. is adjacent); negative by inspection

φ = tan-1 (|C1x |/|C1y|).

A. tan–1(F1y /F1x)

B. tan–1(|F1y |/|F1x|)

C. tan–1(F1x /F1y)

D. tan–1(|F1x |/|F1y|)

Angle φ that specifies the direction of is given by

φ

1F

Tilted axes

• Often it is convenient to use a tilted

axis system (to represent an object on

an incline for example).

• The axes stay perpendicular to each

other.

• The components correspond to axes,

not to “horizontal and vertical” so

they are also tilted.

• The gravitational force always points

in the “true vertical” direction.

Tilted axes

• Often it is convenient to use a tilted

axis system (to represent an object on

an incline for example).

• The axes are always perpendicular to

each other.

• The components correspond to axes,

not to “horizontal and vertical” so

they are also tilted.

• The gravitational force always points

in the “true vertical” direction,

regardless of axis orientation.

To find components of a vector parallel and perpendicular to an inclined surface, as shown in (a):

•Draw a set of coordinate axes so that one axis (usually x) is parallel and the other is perpendicular to the surface.•Place the tail of the vector at the origin of the axes.•Draw components parallel to each axis as shown in (b).Ax = A cos Ay = A sinNote that is defined relative to the tilted x-axis and not to “horizontal”

EOC #38

A pine cone falls straight down from a pine tree growing on a 20° slope the pine cone hits the gorund with a speed of 10 m/s. What is the component of the pine cone’s velocity

a. Parallel to the ground

b. Perpendicular to the ground?

EOC #38A pine cone falls straight

down from a pine tree growing on a 20° slope the pine cone hits the gorund with a speed of 10 m/s. What is the component of the pine cone’s velocity

a. Parallel to the ground

-3.4 m/s

a. Perpendicular to the ground?

-9.4 m/s

More football

A foot ball player runs the pattern shown by the 3 displacement vectors A, B and C. The magnitudes of these vectors are A = 5.00 m, B = 15.0 m and C = 18.0 m. Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector.

More football

A foot ball player runs the pattern shown by the 3 displacement vectors A, B and C. The magnitudes of these vectors are A = 5.00 m, B = 15.0 m and C = 18.0 m. Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector.

Ans: 30.2 m at 10.2° below the +x axis

Field work

Two geological field teams are working in a remote area. A global positioning system (GPS) tracker at their base camp shows the location of the first team as 38 km away, 19° north of west, and the second team as 29 km away, 35° east of north. When the first team uses its GPS to check the position of the second team, what does the GPS give for the distance between the teams and direction,θ, measured from due east?

Second team

Base camp

E (x)

N (y)

W19°

35°AB = A + C

CFirst team

Field workTwo geological field teams are working in

a remote area. A global positioning system (GPS) tracker at their base camp shows the location of the first team as 38 km away, 19° north of west, and the second team as 29 km away, 35° east of north. When the first team uses its GPS to check the position of the second team, what does the GPS give for the distance between the teams and direction,θ, measured from due east?

53.8 km, 12.2 ° from east

Second team

Base camp

E (x)

N (y)

W19°

35°AB = A + C

CFirst team

chapter 3. vectors and coordinate systems our universe has three dimensions, so some quantities also...

Documents