ASE1201 Physics (Part 1)

Motion Dynamics

Dr Eicher Low
: 6592−2052
e-:
Eicher.Low@SingaporeTech.edu.sg
 Scalars and Vectors

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.2

 Scalar Quantities
• Physical quantities that do not have directions are called scalar
quantities or simply scalars.
• It is completely specified by its numerical value (positive or
negative) and its unit.
• A scalar can be added or subtracted algebraically.
• Examples of scalars are :
• Mass
• Volume
• Work
• Time
• Density
• Pressure
ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.3
 Interactions and Forces

Mechanics - the branch of physics that considers how interactions

between objects affect the motion of those objects.

An interaction between two objects can be described and measured

in terms of two forces, one exerted on each of the two interacting
objects. A force is a push or a pull.

Long-range forces do not require the two objects to be touching.

For example, gravity is a long-range force.

We call the size of the gravitational force (strength, or magnitude,

of the force) that a planet or moon exerts on a nearby object the
object’s weight.

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.4

 Interactions and Forces

Contact forces exist only as long as the objects are touching one
another.

Force has magnitude as well as direction.

The magnitude of a force is not a complete description of the force.

The direction of the force is equally important.

Force is one of many quantities in physics that are called vectors.

All vectors have a direction in space as well as a magnitude.

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.5

 Vectors

• Vectors have magnitude (length) and direction.

• The magnitude of a vector is a non-negative number often
associated with a physical unit – example ?
• Vector quantities are important in physics.
• Vectors have a starting point and an ending point.

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.6

 Vectors
• Some physical quantities are completely described only if
both their magnitudes and directions in space are specified.
• The numerical value and unit of a vector is known as its
magnitude.
• Examples of vectors are :
• Force o If a force of 20 N acts downward, its
• Velocity magnitude is 20 N while the direction is
downwards.
• Acceleration o The direction of a vector is stated either in
words or numerically, e.g.
• Displacement • Downward
• Momentum • In the direction of North East
• At 45o from the direction of positive x-
• Electric field axis

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.7

 Vector Notations

• A vector can be written in many ways

1. With a bar below (but small letter), e.g. 𝑎𝑎
2. With an arrow on top, e.g. 𝐴𝐴⃗
3. With boldface A

• The corresponding magnitude which is always positive is

written as :
1. |𝑎𝑎|
2. With an arrow on top, e.g. 𝐴𝐴⃗
3. With boldface |A|

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.8

 Diagrammatic Representation of Vectors

• A vector can be represented as an arrow (drawn to scale) with

respect to a reference direction.
• The length represents the vector’s magnitude and the arrow
head gives the direction of the vector.

Scale: 1 cm In words :
represent 10 m/s 
v Velocity = 26 m/s in the
direction of North East

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.9

 Cartesian Coordinate System

• A Cartesian coordinate system has 2 or 3 axes, each of which is

perpendicular to the other.
• In 2 dimensions, we typically label the :
• horizontal axis x and
• the vertical axis y.
• We can then specify any
point P in 2-dimensional space
by specifying its coordinates
Px and Py .
• We use the notation (Px, Py)
to denote the position of a point.

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.10

 Cartesian Representation of Vectors

• Using Cartesian coordinates, we can define the

starting point and ending point of vectors.
• We can shift the vector around in space as long as
we don’t change the length or direction of the
vector.
• For simplicity, we can shift the starting point of
the vector to the origin of the coordinate system:

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.11

 Cartesian Coordinate System
• We can define a one-dimensional (1D) coordinate system :

Px ˆi
−2.5, P =
Px =

• We can define a three-dimensional (3D)

coordinate system :
Px 2.5,=
= Py 4,= Pz 3.5

P = Px ˆi + Py ˆj + Pz kˆ

• Higher dimensions are possible

but difficult to visualize.

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.12

 Equality of vectors
• Two vectors are equal if they both have the same magnitude
and direction.
 
 F1 = F2
F1


F2

• The two vectors need not occupy the same position in space.
• Two vectors are parallel if they have the same direction but not
necessarily the same magnitude.

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.13

 Equality of vectors

• Negative of a vector implies a vector that has the same

magnitude but pointing in the opposite direction.


F1


F2

• Two vectors are anti-parallel if they have opposite directions

but not necessarily the same magnitude.

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.14

 Properties of Vectors

• A vector A can be multiplied by a scalar quantity c. The

resultant vector will be either the same direction or in the
opposite direction as the original vector and has a magnitude,
|c|A.

• Example if A is a displacement vector

then 2A is a displacement vector with
twice the magnitude but in the same
direction as A.
• However −2A is a displacement vector with twice the
magnitude but in the opposite direction as A.
• It is easy to see that:

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.15

 Adding Co-planar Vectors

Adding vectors is different. All vectors follow the same rules of

addition − rules that take into account the directions of the vectors
being added.

• Coplanar vectors are vectors which lie on the same 2D plane.

• There are 2 methods of finding the resultant of coplanar vectors,

via :
 By drawing
 Tail-to-tip method
 Parallelogram method
 By resolution of vectors
ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.16
 Graphical Vector Addition
• Suppose, instead of flying nonstop from Seattle to New York, we
had a connection in Dallas :

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.17

 Graphical Vector Addition
• The general procedure for adding two vectors is to move the tail
of vector B to the head of vector A :

• Because vector addition commutes, you can get the same result
by moving the tail of of vector A to the head of vector B.
ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.18
 Triangle Rule for Adding 2 Vectors
• The resultant (vector sum) of adding two vectors is the line
joining the beginning of the first vector to the end of the
second vector.


B 
⇒ R

B
 
A A
  
R= A + B

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.19

 Triangle Rule for Vector Subtraction

• It is easier to treat vector subtraction as vector addition by

reversing the vector to be subtracted.
• Vector subtraction is the addition of the inverse vector :
For example, A −B is the same as A + (−B)

 A
B

⇒ D 
 −B
A

    
D = A − B = A + (− B)

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.20

 Work Example 1

There are two vectors a and b, both of magnitude 3.0 units. What is
the range of possible lengths of a + b ?

a b
a + b = 6 units b
a a
b
a 2 + b2 = 9 + 9 = 4.24 units
a +(−b) = 0 units

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.21

 Graphical Vector Subtraction
• We can write :
   
( )
C + −C = C − C = ( 0, 0 )
 
C −C = 0

• Just like for subtraction of numbers, the order matters :

   
A− B ≠ B − A

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.22

 Work Example 2
Given the following vectors a and b, sketch :

(a) −a
(b) −b a b
(c) −2b
(d) −0.5a

(a) −a (c)
−2b

(b) −b (d) −0.5a

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.23

 Polygon Rule for 3 or More Vectors
• This is an extension of the triangle rule.
• It is used for adding more than 2 vectors by drawing.
• The resultant is the line joining the beginning of the first vector
and the end of the last vector.

 A
B 
B


A
⇒ 
R

C

C

        
(
A+ B +C = A+ B +C = A+ B +C ) ( )
ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.24
 Work Example 3
Two automobiles approach at right angles to each other with the
same speed of 11.0 m/s. What is the velocity of 2 relative to 1,
v21 = v2 – v1 ? 
v 2

2 v1

Solution : The magnitude is

     
v 21= v 2 − v1= v 2 + (− v1 ) v 21 = 112 + 112 = 15.6 m/s

v2
 Hence 2 appears to approach 1 in
   − v1
v 21
= v 2 − v1 the direction of SE at 15.6 m/s.
ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.25
 Polygon Rule for 3 or more Vectors

Add the vectors A, B, C and D. If the vectors are forces acting on

an object, is the object is in equilibrium (i.e. the sum of all the
forces is zero) ?

B

  B
A A
⇒ 
  C
C D

D
   
A+B+C+D = 0

Head of D touches tail of A. The resultant force is zero and the

object is in equilibrium.
ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.26
 Resolution of Vectors
Since vectors can be added to form a resultant, the reverse is also
possible.

• That is a vector can be split into other vectors. We call this as the
resolution of vectors.

• Vectors are usually resolved into mutually perpendicular

components.

• These components need not be along the x and y axes.

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.27

 Component Vectors

• In a rectangular coordinate system a vector can be written as the

sum of a vector parallel to the x-axis and a vector parallel to the
y-axis.

  
A
= Ax + A y

• The component vectors of A are Ax and Ay.

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.28

 Magnitude and Direction of a Vector
from its Components
• Ax and Ay are known as the components of A.

Ax = Acos θ and Ay = Asin θ

where θ is measured from the +x-axis
anti-clockwise.

A = Ax2 + Ay2 is the magnitude of A.

Ay
tan θ = ;
Ax

A
θ = tan-1 Ay is the direction of A.
x
ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.29
 Work Example 4
A cross-country skier skis 1.00 km north and then 2.00 km east on a
horizontal snow field. How far and in what direction is she from the
starting point ?

Magnitude = 12 + 22 = 2.24 km
2
Direction φ = tan-1 = 63.4°
1
ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.30
 Positive and Negative Components
• The components of a vector can be
positive or negative numbers, as
shown in figures.

• Please be reminded that the

magnitude of a vector can never be
negative.

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.31

 Vector Addition by Components
The components are effectively one-dimensional, so they can be
added mathematically.
1. Draw a diagram; add the
vectors graphically.
2. Choose x and y axes.
3. Resolve each vector into x
and y components.
4. Calculate each component
using Sines and Cosines. and

5. Add the components in each direction.

6. Find the length (magnitude) and direction of the vector V.
ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.32
 Work Example 5
An airplane trip involves three legs, with two stopovers. The first
leg is due east for 620 km; the second leg is southeast (45°) for 440
km; and the third leg is at 53° south of west, for 550 km, as shown.
What is the plane’s total displacement ?

Total displacement : DR = 600 ̂i – 750 ĵ km

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.33

 Unit Vector
A unit vector is defined to have a magnitude exactly equal to one.

Useful to define unit vectors that point along coordinate axes. In x, y,

z rectangular (Cartesian) coordinate system,
these unit vectors are call ̂i, ĵ, k� . The
components of a vector V can be written as
  
V x V= ˆ ˆ V z Vz kˆ
= x i, V y V= y j,
Hence

V = Vx ˆi + V y ˆj + Vz kˆ
  
V = V1 + V 2 = (Vx )ˆi + (V y )ˆj

(
ASE1201 Physics (Part 1)
) ( )
Units, Dimensions and Approximation
( )
= V1x ˆi + V1 y ˆj + V2 x ˆi + V2 y ˆj = (V1x + V2 x ) ˆi + V1 y + V2 y ˆj
Lecture 2.34
 Work Example 6
A rural mail carrier leaves the post office and drives 22.0 km in a
northerly direction. She then drives in a direction 60.0° south of east
for 47.0 km. What is her displacement from the post office ?

dy1 = 22.0 km 60°

22.0 km
dx2 = 47 cos 60° = 23.5 km 47.0 km
Post office
dy2 = −47 sin 60° = −40.7 km
displacement

d PO
= 23.52 + (22 − 40.7)=
2
30.03 km

Total displacement : dPO = 23.5 ̂i – 18.7 ĵ km

ASE1201 Physics (Part 1) Units, Dimensions and Approximation Lecture 2.35