Physics 1-2

Mr. Chumbley
 Physical quantities can be categorized into
one of two types of quantities

 A scalar is a physical quantity that has

magnitude, but no direction

 A vector is a physical quantity that has both

magnitude and direction
 We have already been using symbols to represent
physical quantities

 Vector and scalar quantities are identified by how

they are written

 Scalars are written using italics

 Vectors can be written two ways

◦ In boldface: ∆𝐱, v, a, F
◦ An arrow above the symbol: ∆𝑥, 𝑣, 𝑎, 𝐹
 Vectors are drawn using lines with arrow-
points

 The length of the vector is representative of

the magnitude

has a greater magnitude than

 The direction of the arrow indicates the

direction
 When drawing vectors, it is important to know
that vectors can be moved to any location, so
long as the magnitude and direction remain
the same

 This is especially useful when combining

multiple vectors
 In order for vectors to be added together,
they must have he same units and describe
the same quantities

 Vectors can be added both mathematically

and graphically

 The resultant is a vector that represents the

sum of two or more vectors
 One of the simplest ways to add vectors is by
drawing them graphically

Tail Tip

 Moving all vectors so that the tip of one

vector connects to the tail of the next vector

 The resultant vector can be drawn from the

tail of the first vector to the tip of the last
vector
 Determining the vectors graphically can be
done in different ways

 The magnitude and direction of the vector

can be measured using a ruler and protractor

 The magnitude and direction can be

calculated if the vector is placed in a scaled
grid
For vectors, there are a couple different ways in
which direction can be indicated
 One way is to treat the
direction as if the vector
were rotated from one of
the cardinal directions

 The second method is to

treat the direction as if
the vector were rotated
from a standard direction
of 0˚, similar to a
coordinate plane
 As stated before, the
magnitude of the
vector is represented
by the length of the
arrow

 To accurately depict
a vector, it is often
necessary to use a
scale to represent
those quantities
 When looking at a vector
in two dimensions, the
vector can be broken
down into two one- v
dimensional vectors

 The one-dimensional
part of a two- vy
dimensional vector is
known as a component

 For our purposes vectors vx

will generally have a
y-component and an
x-component
 If the magnitude and
direction of a vector
are known, v
determining the
components is as
simple as making a
right triangle vy

 vy can be found:
θ
◦ vy = v · sin(θ)
vx
 vx can be found:
◦ vx = v · cos(θ)
 An archaeologist climbs the Great Pyramid in Giza, Egypt. The pyramid’s
height is 136 m and its width is 2.30 × 102 m. What is the magnitude and
direction of the displacement of the archaeologist after she has climbed
from the bottom to the top?

Given
 Δy = 136 m
 Δx = ½ (width)

= 115 m d 136 m

Unknown
d=?
θ
θ=?
115 m
Find the components of the velocity of a helicopter
travelling 95 km/h while rising at an angle of 35˚ to the
ground

Given
V = 95 km/h
 θ = 35˚

Unknown
vy
 vy = ?

 vx = ?
35˚
vx
 P. 87
◦ #1-4

 P. 90
◦ #1-4
 Adding vectors that are not perpendicular can
be complicated

 Using the standard trig functions does not

work since there is not a right triangle

 However, by breaking each vector into

components, a right triangle can be created
to solve for the resultant sum
 A hiker walks 27.0 km from her base camp at 35° south of east. The next
day, she walks 41.0 km in a direction 65° north of east and discovers a
ranger’s tower. Find the magnitude and direction of her resultant
displacement between the base camp and the tower.

Given:
 d1 = 27.0 km
 θ1 = -35°
 d2 = 41.0 km
 θ2 = 65°

Unknown: d
d=?
d2


 θ=? θ Δy2
θ1
Δy1
Diagram: d1 θ2
Δ x2
 P. 92
◦ #1-4
 Projectile motion is
the curved path
than an object
follows when
thrown, launched,
or otherwise
projected near the
surface of Earth
 When describing the motion of an object in
two dimensions, it can be done in two ways

 The first is by using the vector quantities of

displacement, velocity, and acceleration
◦ This would result in vector multiplication

 The second is by looking at the two-

dimensional motion in its two one-
dimensional components
◦ This avoids vector multiplication entirely
 When a projectile is broken
down into its component
parts, it is revealed that the
vertical and horizontal
motion occur independently

 This means that the

projectile is simultaneously
undergoing free fall, and
moving with constant
horizontal velocity

 This motion results in the

projectile following a
parabolic trajectory
 Projectiles can be treated as an object in
free fall with an initial horizontal velocity

 Since the only acceleration is in the vertical

direction, the horizontal velocity is constant
Quantity Vertical Horizontal

1
Displacement ∆𝑦 = 𝑣𝑦𝑖 ∆𝑡 − 𝑔(∆𝑡)2 ∆𝑥 = 𝑣𝑥 ∆𝑡
2
𝑣𝑦𝑓 = 𝑣𝑦𝑖 − 𝑔∆𝑡
Velocity 𝑣𝑥𝑓 = 𝑣𝑥𝑖 = constant
𝑣𝑦𝑓 2 = 𝑣𝑦𝑖 2 − 2𝑔∆𝑦

Acceleration 𝑎𝑦 = −𝑔 = −9.81 m/s2 𝑎𝑥 = 0 m/s2

The Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado rises 321 m above the Arkansas River. Suppose
you kick a rock horizontally off the bridge. The magnitude of the rock’s horizontal
displacement is 45.0 m. Find the magnitude of the velocity at which the rock was
kicked.

Given:
 Δy = -321 m vx
 Δx = 45.0 m
vyi = 0 m/s
ay


 ay = -g = -9.81 m/s2

Unknown: -321 m
 vx =?

45.0 m
 P. 97 #1-4
 When an object is launched at an angle, it
then has both initial vertical and horizontal
velocities

 Therefore, finding the components of the

initial velocity can be done through vectors

𝑣𝑥𝑖 = 𝑣𝑖 cos 𝜃 𝑣𝑦𝑖 = 𝑣𝑖 sin 𝜃

 The equations that describe the motion of the
projectile do not change
◦ Horizontal velocity remains constant
◦ Vertical motion still behaves as free fall
A shell is fired from the ground with an initial speed of 1.70 × 103 m/s at an initial angle of 55.0˚
to the horizontal.
a. How much time is the shell in the air?
b. How far from where it is launched does the shell land?

Given:
 vi = 1.70 × 103 m/s
 ay = -g = -9.81 m/s2

Unknown: vi
 ∆t =?

 ∆x =?

∆x
 P. 99 Practice #1-4
 Looking at the path of a projectile, the
velocity at any point can be determined

 One of the more beneficial points to

determine the velocity is at the end of the
projectile’s motion

 The final velocity is the vector sum of the

horizontal velocity (vx) and the final vertical
velocity (vyf)
The Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado rises 321 m above the Arkansas River. Suppose
you kick a rock horizontally off the bridge at a speed of 5.56 m/s. The magnitude of
the rock’s horizontal displacement is 45.0 m. What is the velocity of the rock just
before it hits the ground below?

Given:
 Δy = -321 m vx
 Δx = 45.0 m
vyi = 0 m/s
ay


 vx = 5.56 m/s
 ay = -g = -9.81 m/s2 -321 m

Unknown:
 vf = ? vx
θf
45.0 m

vyf

vf
 Calculate the final velocity of the objects from
problems #1-4 on p. 97

Quantity Vertical Horizontal

1
Displacement ∆𝑦 = 𝑎𝑦 (∆𝑡)2 ∆𝑥 = 𝑣𝑥 ∆𝑡
2
𝑣𝑦𝑓 = 𝑎𝑦 ∆𝑡
Velocity 𝑣𝑥𝑓 = 𝑣𝑥𝑖 = constant
𝑣𝑦𝑓 2 = 2𝑎𝑦 ∆𝑦

Acceleration 𝑎𝑦 = 𝑔 = −9.81 m/s2 𝑎𝑥 = 0 m/s2

A boat heading north crosses a wide river with a velocity of 10.00 km/h relative to
the water. The river has a uniform velocity of 5.00 km/h due east. Determine the
boat’s velocity with respect to an observer on the shore.

Given:
 vboat = 10.00 km/h
 vriver = 5.00 km/h

Unknown:
 vobserved = ?

 θ=?
 P. 103
◦ #1-4