Specialist Maths - Unit 1 Topic 3: Vectors

Flashcards covering key concepts related to vectors, including vector representation, operations, and forms. - IMPORTANT FOR EXAM

Vectors are used in physics to describe and analyse any quantity that has both and .

magnitude, direction

Scalar quantities have __ only.

magnitude

Vector quantities have as well as .

direction, magnitude

Vectors are denoted by a symbol with a __.

tilde

Two vectors are equal if both their and are equal.

magnitude, direction

Vectors can be subtracted by adding the __ of the second vector to the first vector.

negative

Multiplying a vector by a scalar changes the but not the .

magnitude, direction

If the scalar is negative when multiplying a vector, then the __ is reversed.

direction

__ is used to find the magnitude of the resultant vector.

Pythagoras

__ is used to find the direction (angle) of the resultant vector.

Trigonometry

The polar form of vector u is [r, θ], where u is a vector of magnitude r in the direction of θ from the direction of the .

positive, x-axis

A __ vector is a vector that defines a point by magnitude and direction relative to the origin.

position

Multiplying a vector by a positive scalar affects only its but not its .

magnitude, direction

Multiplying a vector by a negative scalar will __ its direction, in addition to affecting its magnitude.

reverse

Unit vectors have a magnitude of __ unit.

1

A unit vector in the direction of u is found by dividing a vector by its __.

magnitude