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Vector quantity: quantity with a magnitude and a direction. It can be represented by a vector. Examples: displacement, velocity, acceleration. Same displacement. Displacement does not describe the object’s path.
Three numbers are needed to represent the magnitude and direction of a vector quantity in a three dimensional space. These quantities are called vector quantities. Vector quantities also satisfy two distinct operations, vector addition and multiplication of a vector by a scalar.
A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude (i.e. length) and direction. An "arrow" in space. Examples: velocity, force, momentum, electric field etc. Need a reference frame (coordinate system). Use the Cartesian coordinate system defined by three orthogonal axes (in 3D). z.
A Vector quantity: has both magnitude (“how much”) and direction, e.g. displacement, velocity, acceleration, force. A vector quantity is represented by an arrow drawn to scale.
• Vector: quantity with magnitude and direction • Vector components: A x = A cos θ, B y = B sin θ • Magnitude: A = (A x 2 + A y 2)1/2 • Direction: θ = tan-1 (A y / A x) • Graphical vector addition: Place tail of second at head of first; the sum points from tail of first to head of last Summary of Chapter 3
Vector quantities are extremely useful in physics. The important characteristic of a vector quan-tity is that it has both a magnitude (or size) and a direction. Both of these properties must be given in order to specify a vector completely. An example of a vector quantity is a displacement.
•To learn three fundamental quantities of physics and the units to measure them •To understand vectors and scalars and how to add vectors graphically •To determine vector components and how to use them in calculations •To understand unit vectors and how to use them with components to describe vectors
