Name: adding and multiplying vectors
Uploaded: 2023-09-22T11:49:19.000Z
Duration: 1 min 20 s
Channel: JoVE

Consider two force vectors in a two-dimensional coordinate system.
These vectors can be added using the parallelogram law, where the tails of the concurrent vectors are joined together and lines parallel to each vector are drawn to form a parallelogram.
The resultant vector can be obtained by drawing a diagonal from the tails to the point of intersection of lines.
Similarly, the vectors can be added using the triangle rule, where two vectors are arranged as two sides of the triangle joined head-to-tail, and the third side of the triangle represents the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector.
Vector subtraction is similar to adding reverse of one vector to another. As a result, the difference between two vectors is obtained using the same rules of vector addition.
When a vector is multiplied by a scalar, the magnitude of the vector varies by the amount of the scalar quantity.
If the scalar is positive, then the direction of the vector remains the same, and if it is negative, the direction is reversed.

vector operations

Vector Operations

Vectors are physical quantities that have both magnitude and direction. The vector operations include addition, subtraction, and scalar multiplication.
A vector multiplied by a scalar value is called scalar multiplication. The result obtained is a new vector with a different magnitude. If the scalar is positive, the direction of the vector remains the same, but if it is negative, the direction of the vector is reversed. For example, the product of the mass and velocity yields the momentum. Here, the scalar quantity mass is multiplied by the vector quantity velocity, which results in the vector quantity momentum. The direction of the resultant momentum vector is in the same direction as the velocity vector.
The two vectors can be added geometrically by using the parallelogram law of vector addition. When added using this law, the two vectors are represented as adjacent sides of a parallelogram. The tails of both vectors are placed at the origin, and the lines parallel to each vector are drawn to form a parallelogram. The parallelogram&#39;s diagonal is then drawn from the origin to the opposite corner of the parallelogram to represent the resultant vector. The magnitude and direction of the resultant vector can be determined by measuring the length and angles of the parallelogram&#39;s diagonal. The parallelogram law can be simplified in a special scenario where the two vectors are collinear, meaning they have the same line of action. In this case, the resultant vector can be obtained through an algebraic or scalar addition of the two vectors.
Another method of graphically adding two vectors is the triangle law of vector addition. The triangle rule of vector addition states that if two vectors are arranged joined head to tail as two sides of a triangle, the third side of the triangle represents the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector. Vector addition using this law involves placing the first vector at the origin and placing the second vector head to tail with the first vector. The third side of the triangle from the origin to the end of the second vector represents the resultant vector.
The process of vector subtraction involves adding the reverse (negative) of one vector to another vector. This means that the rules of vector addition can be applied to obtain the difference between the two vectors.

Vectors are physical quantities that have both magnitude and direction. The vector operations include addition, subtraction, and scalar multiplication.
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Force Vectors

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

adding and multiplying vectors

Vectors are quantities with both magnitude and direction, and their operations include addition, subtraction, and scalar multiplication. Scalar multiplication means a vector is multiplied by a scalar value, which creates a new vector with a different magnitude. If the scalar is positive, the direction stays the same. If the scalar is negative, the direction reverses.

A common example is momentum, which comes from multiplying mass by velocity. In this case, mass is the scalar quantity and velocity is the vector quantity. The result is momentum, and its direction matches the direction of the velocity vector.

Two vectors can be added geometrically with the parallelogram law. In this method, the two vectors are drawn as adjacent sides of a parallelogram with both tails at the origin. Lines are then drawn parallel to each vector to complete the shape.

The diagonal of the parallelogram, drawn from the origin to the opposite corner, shows the resultant vector. Its magnitude and direction can be found by measuring the diagonal's length and angles. When the two vectors are collinear, meaning they share the same line of action, the resultant can be found by algebraic or scalar addition.

Another way to add vectors is the triangle law of vector addition. Here, the vectors are arranged head to tail as two sides of a triangle. The third side of the triangle, from the origin to the end of the second vector, represents the resultant vector.

Vector subtraction uses the reverse, or negative, of one vector added to another vector. This lets the rules of vector addition be used to find the difference between two vectors.

Adding and Multiplying Vectors

scalar and vectors

Scalar vs Vector Quantities in Mechanics

Scalar and vector quantities are two main ways to describe physical quantities in mechanics. Common examples include force, speed, velocity, and work. Some of these are scalars, and others are vectors. A scalar is a quantity that has magnitude only. It does not need direction. Mass, area, and length are examples of scalar quantities. Scalars with the same units can be added or subtracted like ordinary numbers. A class that ends 10 min earlier than 50 min lasts 50 min minus 10 min, which is 40...

Vectors are quantities with both magnitude and direction, and their operations include addition, subtraction, and scalar multiplication. Scalar multiplication means a vector is multiplied by a scalar value, which creates a new vector with a different magnitude. If the scalar is positive, the direction stays the same. If the scalar is negative, the direction reverses. A common example is momentum, which comes from multiplying mass by velocity. In this case, mass is the scalar quantity and...

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Force changes the motion, shape, or orientation of an object. A flowing stream of water can push on a turbine vane and make it move in the direction of the flow. In mechanics, force is treated as a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. It is measured in newtons, or N, in the SI unit system. Forces can act through direct contact or without contact. A push or pull is a contact force. Magnetic and gravitational forces are examples of non-contact interactions. For an...

force classification

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Forces in physics can be grouped by how they act and where they come from. These groups help describe motion, behavior, and equilibrium in the physical world. They are also useful in physics and engineering. One common way to classify forces is by whether they need contact. Contact forces act only when two objects touch. Frictional force, tension, and normal force are all contact forces that come from surface contact. Forces can also act without physical touch. These are called non-contact...

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Resultant Force from Tugboats

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two-dimensional force system

Resolving Forces in a Plane

Resolving forces in a plane is a key part of two-dimensional mechanical analysis. A force vector can be split into x- and y-components, which show how the force acts in each direction. These components are written with the help of unit vectors, one for the x direction and one for the y direction. To find the components in a Cartesian coordinate system, first identify the angle theta between the force and the positive x-axis. If the line of action passes through the origin, basic trigonometry...

two-dimensional force system: problem solving

two-dimensional-force-system-problem-solving

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scalar notation

Vector Components for Force Calculations

Scalar notation helps simplify vector calculations by breaking a vector into separate x and y parts. When vectors are added or subtracted, each component can be handled on its own using scalar notation. This makes force problems easier to solve.

cartesian vector notation

Vector Components in 3D Space

Cartesian vector notation shows how to write vectors in three-dimensional space using x, y, and z components. It gives a clear way to represent direction and size for quantities used in mechanical engineering. The notation uses the unit vectors i, j, and k for the x, y, and z axes. A vector pointing in the direction (3, −4, 5) can be written as A = 3i - 4j + 5k. The unit vectors are i = (1, 0, 0), j = (0, 1, 0), and k = (0, 0, 1). This form is useful for describing displacement, velocity,...

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Vector Orientation with Direction Cosines

Direction cosines describe how a vector is oriented relative to the x, y, and z axes. For a vector A written in Cartesian form with i, j, and k unit vectors, this idea helps connect the vector’s components to its direction in space. The magnitude of vector A is the square root of the sum of the squares of its components. Its direction is described by the coordinate direction angles α, β, and γ with the x, y, and z axes. These angles can be found by projecting vector A onto each axis. The...

three-dimensional force system

Force Components in 3D Space

A three-dimensional force system describes forces acting in x, y, and z directions. In mechanical engineering, this framework helps students and engineers study how objects and structures behave in three-dimensional space. One common example is a force acting on a particle in space. That force can be split into three parts: the x-component, the y-component, and the z-component. Vector mathematics is used to calculate each component, and together they make up the full three-dimensional force...

three-dimensional force system:problem solving

three-dimensional-force-systemproblem-solving

Resolving Forces in 3D Coordinates

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Position vectors are used to locate points in space and show the direction and distance between two points. In math and science, they help describe spatial relationships and make calculations easier. A position vector can connect one point to another point or show a point’s location relative to the origin of coordinates. For a point P(x, y, z) relative to the origin O, the position vector r runs from O to P. In Cartesian vector form, it is written as r = x i + y j + z k. Here, i, j, and k are...

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dot product

Using Dot Product to Find Work and Angle

The dot product connects vectors, work, and direction in mathematics and physics. In engineering, it is found by multiplying the magnitudes of two vectors and the cosine of the angle between them. It is shown with a dot symbol between the vectors. A real-world example is a vehicle pulling an object along the ground with a rope. If the rope is angled above the horizontal axis, the work done can be calculated with the dot product of the applied force and the object’s displacement. This makes the...

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Using the Dot Product to Solve Vector Questions

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cross product

Cross Product Direction and Magnitude

The cross product is a vector operation in vector algebra that creates a third vector from two input vectors. Unlike the scalar product, it does not give a single number. The result is a vector perpendicular to both original vectors. The size, or magnitude, of the cross product depends on the magnitudes of both vectors and the sine of the angle between them. A larger angle between the vectors gives a larger cross product magnitude. The direction is found with the right-hand rule. If the...

key terms and concepts

Learn how vector addition, subtraction, and scalar multiplication work using parallelogram and triangle laws, plus a momentum example for high school science.

Adding and Multiplying Vectors | JoVE K12

JoVE Core Mechanical Engineering offers concise, easy-to-understand animated videos covering key topics such as equilibrium, forces, truss analysis, and structural mechanics. Explore their real-world applications, and witness these concepts in action through scientist-led experiments.

mechanical engineering

Adding and Multiplying Vectors

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