PHYS 101 Chapter 3.1 - 3.3: Vectors and Scalars.pdf
30 Apr 2015
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Document Summary
Scalars: quantities that have no direction associated with them eg. mass, time, temperature. Vectors: quantities that have a magnitude and a direction associated: length of arrow is drawn proportional to the magnitude of the vector quantity, the vector arrow points in the direction of value. Vectors are useful when drawing a diagram of a particular physical situation. Also useful to include an axis when drawing a diagram that includes vectors: positive & negative directions. Vectors must be added in a special way as they have both magnitude and direction. Resultant displacement: represented by arrow labeled d r: use pythagoras: d1, dr = d1 + d2. Draw d2, to scale, tail to tip of the first vector. Draw d r from the tail of the first vector to the tip of the second vector. Suppose two vectors each of len gth of 3. 0 units.
