Position and Displacement Vectors

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16 Terms

1
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What is a position vector and what does it specify?

A position vector specifies the position of a point in space relative to an origin.

2
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How is a position vector typically notated in a Cartesian coordinate system?

A position vector is often denoted as r and expressed in the form (x, y, z).

3
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Define a displacement vector.

A displacement vector represents a change in position of a point from one location to another.

4
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How do you calculate a displacement vector?

Displacement is calculated as Final Position - Initial Position.

5
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Why do displacement vectors have both magnitude and direction?

Displacement vectors define movement with both size (how far) and direction (where to) from the initial to the final position.

6
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What differentiates a position vector from a displacement vector?

Position vectors indicate location relative to a reference point, while displacement vectors indicate a change in position.

7
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What is meant by vector addition being commutative?

Vector addition is commutative, meaning A + B = B + A.

8
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How is vector subtraction visualized?

By reversing the direction of the vector being subtracted or subtracting a vector by adding its negative.

9
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Explain what happens when a vector is multiplied by a scalar.

Multiplying a vector by a scalar changes the magnitude of the vector without altering its direction.

10
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Why are vectors important in physics?

Vectors model various physical phenomena such as force, velocity, and acceleration, essential for describing motion.

11
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How are vectors used in the context of motion and dynamics?

Vectors are used to describe both the position and movement aspects of motion through position and displacement.

12
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What is a resultant vector in the context of vector operations?

The resultant vector is the vector obtained when vectors are added head-to-tail.

13
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Describe the method for adding vectors.

Vectors are added by aligning them head-to-tail, drawing the resultant from the tail of the first to the head of the last.

14
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In what scenario would a displacement vector be zero?

A displacement vector is zero if the final and initial positions are the same, indicating no change in position.

15
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Can a scalar have negative values and how does it affect vector multiplication?

Yes, a scalar can be negative, which would reverse the direction of the resulting vector while scaling its magnitude.

16
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