2. Scalar Vector speed, distance, time, temperature, mass, energy
a quantity described by magnitude only
examples include:
speed, distance, time, temperature, mass, energy
Vector
a quantity described by magnitude and direction
examples include:
velocity, displacement, force, momentum,
electric and magnetic fields

3. Scalar or Vector?
5 mph
5 mph north
15 m/s northwest
1.2 N west
10 m/s

4. Vectors What if the vectors are NOT parallel:
Vectors have magnitude and direction. They add or subtract depending on their directions.
Parallel vectors are pretty simple:
50 N
100 N = +
50 N
50 N =
0 N +
50 N
What if the vectors are NOT parallel:
Example: What if I walked 16 km East and 12 km North
The result is a NET movement of 20 km Northeast
20 km Northeast
12 km North
Resultant Vector
16 km East
Component Vectors

5. Examples include: A = 20 m/s at 35° B = 120 N at 300°
Vectors are usually named with capital
letters with arrows above the letter.
They are represented graphically as arrows.
The length of the arrow corresponds
to the magnitude of the vector.
The direction the arrow points
is the vector direction.
Examples include:
A = 20 m/s at 35°
B = 120 N at 300°
C = 5.8 m/s west or 180°

6. Vector Addition Triangle (Head-to-Tail) Method
vectors may be added graphically or analytically
Triangle (Head-to-Tail) Method
1. Draw the first vector with the proper length
and direction.
2. Draw the second vector with the proper length
and direction originating from the head of
the first vector.
3. The resultant vector is the vector originating
at the tail of the first vector and terminating
at the head of the second vector.
4. Measure the length and orientation angle of
the resultant.

7. Adding vectors
Head-to-tail A A B C B
A + B = C

8. Parallelogram (Tail-to-Tail) Method
1. Draw both vectors with proper length and
direction originating from the same point.
2. Complete a parallelogram using the two
vectors as two of the sides.
3. Draw the resultant vector as the diagonal
originating from the tails.
4. Measure the length and angle of the
resultant vector.

9. Explore more
vectors at
link, link.