Physics Lecture Notes: Scalars, Vectors, and Vector Addition

Flashcards on physics concepts involving scalar and vector quantities, types of vectors, resolution of vectors, and laws of vector addition.

Scalar

A physical quantity that has magnitude, does not have any direction, and follows scalar addition (e.g., distance, time, current, temperature).

Vector

A physical quantity that has magnitude as well as direction and follows vector laws of addition (e.g., displacement, acceleration, velocity, force, momentum).

Angle Between Vectors

The angle less than $180^\circ$ measured between the directions of two vectors.

Equal Vector

Vectors that have the same magnitude and the same direction.

Negative Vector

A vector that has the same magnitude as a given vector but points in the opposite direction.

Parallel Vector

Vectors that have the same direction regardless of their magnitudes.

Anti Parallel Vector

Vectors that have opposite directions regardless of their magnitudes.

Co-Initial Vector

Vectors that have the same starting point.

Null Vector

A vector with a magnitude equal to $0$ and an undefined direction ($D = \text{undefined}$).

Unit Vector

A vector with a magnitude equal to $1$; the minimum number of unit vectors required in 2D space is $2$ and in 3D space is $3$.

Coplanar Vector

Vectors that lie in the same plane.

Resolution of a Vector

The process of resolving a vector into its directional components (e.g., $A \cos(\theta)\hat{i} + A \sin(\theta)\hat{j}$).

Triangle Law

A vector addition law used when adding two vectors at a time.

Parallelogram Law

A vector addition law used when adding two vectors at a time.

Polygon Laws

A vector addition law used when adding $2$ or more vectors at a time.