CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.
5 Scalars and Vectors
a) Introduction to Scalar and Vectors
Physical Quantities can be either scalar or Vectors: such quantities have magnitude
vector and direction
Scalars: such quantities only have Displacement, Velocity, Force, Acceleration,
magnitude and no direction
momentum
Distance, Speed, Time, Temperature, mass,
Energy
F = 10 N
Representing scalar quantity:
Time, t = 30.2 s
Force, F = 10 N to right side
Physical SI unit
Direction
quantity Physical SI Unit
Magnitude
symbol quantity Symbol Magnitude
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
Representing a vector:
10°
9N
9N of force acting 10° to
west of North
10 N
6N -6N
8N 8N of force acting to north
Length of arrow represents magnitude
Angle with x-axis or y-axis represents
direction
6N
6N of force acting 30° to - 8N
30° 8N of force acting to south
horizontal
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
b) Combining vectors
1) Vectors in same direction
2) Vectors in opposite direction
6N
10N 12 N 7N
In same direction vectors are always
added
In opposite direction they are
subtracted
5 N
Resultant = 16N
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
3) Vectors at an angle
For exact answer there are two
e.g methods:
A) Head - to - tail rule
600 N
800 N The two vectors such that head of one
+ vector should be joined to the tail of the
30° other vector
The resultant is then drawn from tail to
head to complete the triangle
Maximum possible answer is 800 + 600 N
= 1400 N B) Parallelogram rule
Redraw the two vectors such that their tails
Minimum possible answer is 800 - 600 N are joined
= 200 N Complete parallelogram by drawing opposite
sides
Draw resultant from the two tails to the two
heads
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
Finding resultant of vectors by graphical
method ( Head-to-tail) Step 4: measure the length of resultant
Step1: Choose a scale 100 N : 1 cm force
R = 13.5 cm
Step 2: Redraw the two vectors such that
head of one vector should touch the tail of
Step 5: convert cm into Newtons
the vector
6 cm R = 1350 N
30°
Step 6: Measure angle of resultant with a
8 cm
horizontal
Step 3: Draw resultant from tail to head to
complete the triangle
Resultant is 1350 N acting 13° to
6 cm horizontal
13° 30°
8 cm
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
E.g
40 N Scale: 10 N : 1 cm
+ 4 cm
39°
30 N 3 cm
5 cm
(Maximum = 70 N, Minimum = 10 N) Resultant 50 N acting 39° to horizontal
Note:
for right angle triangle vectors you may
use Pythagorus theorem
h2 = p2 + b2 h = 50 N
h2 = 302 + 402
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
Finding resultant of vectors by Step 3: Draw parallel vectors to
graphical method (Parallelogram complete a parallelogram
rule) 6 cm
40 N
30 N 8 cm
+
60°
8 cm
74° 60°
6 cm
Step1: Choose a scale 5 N : 1 cm
Step 4: Draw resultant from two tails to the
Step 2: Redraw the two vectors such that the
two heads
two tails are joined
Step 5: Measure length of resultant and
convert cm in N R = 7.2 cm
5 N : 1 cm R = 36.0 N
R : 7.2 cm
8 cm
Step 6: Measure angle of resultant with a
60°
horizontal
6 cm Resultant is 36.0 N acting 74° to horizontal
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
Finding resultant of vectors by Geometrical method (Head-
to-tail rule)
Step2: Apply cos rule to find R.
600 N When two sides and including angle is
800 N + given, the opposite side can be calculated
30°
b b2 = a2 +c2 - 2ac CosB
Step1: a
Redraw the two vectors using head to tail B
rule ( without any use of scale) c
R
600 N 600 N
30° 150° 30°
800 N 800 N
R2 = 8002 +6002 - 2x800x600 Cos150
R = 1353 N
= 1350 N
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
Step3:
Sin = Sin 150
Apply sin rule to find angle of R
600 1353
C b
= 12.8
a
B A
c
Final answer: 1350 N acting 12.8°
Sin A = Sin B = Sin C
a b c
R = 1353
600 N
150° 30°
800 N
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𝜽
CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(s/21/P12)
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(s/21/P12)
6
40°
10
R
R2 = 102 + 62 - 2(10)(6)Cos40
= 6.6 N
Option D is correct
To confirm angle:
Sin = Sin 40
6 6.6
= 35.7 = 36°
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𝜽
CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(w/21/P11)
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(w/21/P11)
wind = 200 kmh-1
Aircraft = 800 kmh-1
Resultant
sin = 200 = 14°
800
8002 = R2 + 2002
R = 770 N
Option A is correct
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(w/20/P11)
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(w/20/P11)
X = P - R
X = P + ( - R)
It means X is resultant and P is
added to negative of R
-R
X
P
The direction of X is shown in
correct option A
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(m/19/P12 )
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(m/19/P12 )
Aircraft = 200
85
sin =
N 200
Resultant
= 25.2°
25.2°
Wind = 85
Aircraft has to steer 25.2 west of North
Option D
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𝜽
𝜽
CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(s/22/P12 )
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(s/22/P12 )
∆V = Vf - Vi
= Vf + (- Vi)
∆V is equal to sum of Vf and negative
of Vi
∆V
Vf
- Vi
The ∆V is similar to correct option B
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
f) Resolution of vectors into two ii)
perpendicular components
i)
R = 450N
Ry
R = 450N
50°
Rx
50°
Sin 50 = Ry Cos 50 = Rx
450 450
Step 1: Draw two vectors perpendicular to
one another using head to tail so that Rx = 450cos50
Ry = 450Sin50
resultant shown can be drawn out of it
= 344.7 N = 289.3 N
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
iii) iv)
R = 450N
R = 800N
Ry
15° Ry
Rx
85°
Rx
Sin 85 = Ry Cos 85 = Rx
Sin 15 = Ry Cos 15 = Rx
800 800
450 450
Ry = 450Sin15
Ry = 800Sin85 Rx = 800cos85
Rx = 450cos15
= 797 N = 69.7 N
= 116.4 N = 434.7 N
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
v) vi)
70 N
40 N
Ry = 40 N Rx =0 N
Ry =0 Rx = 70 N
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
vii)
Rx
Note: for a right angle triangle
Ry 35°
R = 450N
Perpendicular is always the side that is
opposite to angle under consideration
Base is the side that is adjacent to angle
Sin 35 = Rx Cos 35 = Ry under consideration
450 450
Rx = 450Sin35 Ry = 450Cos35
= 258.1 = 368.6
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
Shortcut to find component
The axis with which an angle is provided is
always the cos component. The other axis
becomes the sin component
Ry
35° R = 450N
R = 450N
Ry
Rx
50°
Rx
Ry = 450 cos35 = 368.6 N
Rx = 450 cos50 = 289.3 Rx = 450 sin35 = 258.1 N
Ry = 450 sin50 = 344.7
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(m/21/P22)
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(m/21/P22)
Vertical component in north direction
= 75cos30 = 65 N
Horizontal component in East direction
= 75sin30 = 38 N
Option C is correct
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
g) Addition of vectors using Step 2:
components method Add horizontal components
Rx = 800 + 519 = 1319 N
A = 800 N
Step 3:
+ Add vertical components
B = 600 N Ry = 0 + 300 = 300 N
Step 4: Find resultant using pythogrous
30° theorem
R2 = 13192 + 3002 = 1352 N
Steps 1: resolve every vector in to
Step 5: find
perpendicular components
R = 1352
Tan = 300
300 1319
Ax = 800 N Bx = 600cos30 = 519
Ay = 0 By = 600sin30 = 300 = 12.8°
1319
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𝜽
CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(s/21/P11)
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CAIE | Notes | Physics 9702 | Chapter 1 Physical Quantities | Topic 1.5 Scalars and Vectors
(s/21/P11) axi s
tal
i s o n
ax r i z
i cal Ho
3 0 er t
5si
n V
5 N is resolved into two components
Horizontal = 5cos30°
Vertical = 5sin30°
30°
s 3 0 Horizontal resultant= 1o - 5cos30°
5 co
Vertical resultant= 5sin30°
Correct option C
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