Transcript Vectors - Boardworks

This icon indicates the slide contains activities created in Flash. These activities are not editable.
This icon indicates an accompanying worksheet.
This icon indicates teacher’s notes in the
Notes field.
For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.
1 of 8
© Boardworks Ltd 2014
Vectors and scalars
A vector is a quantity that has both size (or magnitude)
and direction.
Examples of vector quantities are:
displacement
velocity
force
A scalar is a quantity that has size (or magnitude) only.
Examples of scalar quantities are:
length
speed
mass
2 of 8
© Boardworks Ltd 2014
Representing vectors
A vector can be represented using a line segment with an
arrow on it.
For example,
B
A
The magnitude of the vector is given by the length of the line.
The direction of the vector is given by the arrow on the line.
3 of 8
© Boardworks Ltd 2014
Representing vectors
4 of 8
© Boardworks Ltd 2014
The negative of a vector
this is the vector –a.
If this is the vector a,
B
a
–a
A
B
A
The negative of a vector is the same length and has the
same slope, but goes in the opposite direction.
In general,
if
5 of 8
a =
x
y
then
–x
–a =
–y
© Boardworks Ltd 2014
The negative of a vector
6 of 8
© Boardworks Ltd 2014
Adding vectors
When two or more vectors are added together the result is
called the resultant vector.
Add two column vectors by adding the horizontal components
together and adding the vertical components together.
In general, if
a =
a+b =
7 of 8
a
b
and
b =
c
d
a+c
b+d
© Boardworks Ltd 2014
Adding and subtracting vectors
8 of 8
© Boardworks Ltd 2014