What is a scalar quantity?
A physical quantity with magnitude but no direction
What is a vector quantity?
A physical quantity with both magnitude and a specified direction
Scalar quantities and their vector equivalents (4)
Time = Force
Mass = Acceleration
Speed = Velocity
•Distance = Displacement
How are vector quantities represented?
A line (representing magnitude to scale) with a single arrowhead (representing the direction)
How are vectors added and subtracted?
Take one direction to be positive and add or subtract as normal
How can a resultant vector be broken up into its constituent parts? (2)
All vectors have a horizontal and vertical component
By knowing the magnitude and angle of a vector, trigonometry can be used to calculate the sides of a right angled triangle made of the two components
What is true about the forces on a stationary object?
They are in equilibrium meaning both the horizontal and vertical components balance out
How are vectors subtracted?
Reverse the direction of the subtracted vector and add
To subtract Y from X:
Reverse the direction of Y and add this vector to X
