Lesson 1: Introduction to Vector Analysis

• Physics is the study of various physical phenomena and the fundamental laws governing them.
• Classical Physics: developed before the 19th century

  1. Classical Mechanics
  2. Thermodynamics
  3. Waves
  4. Electromagnetism
  5. Optics
• Classical Mechanics: the study of effects produced by a force
• Thermodynamics: the study of effects produced by a heat
• Modern Physics: developed after the 19th century

  1. Atomic Physics
  2. Nuclear Physics
  3. Quantum Mechanics
• Length: Meter (m)
• Mass: Kilogram (kg)
• Time: Second (s)
• Temperature: Kelvin (K)
• Amount of Substance: Mole (mol)
• Electric Current: Ampere (A)
• Luminous Intensity: Candela (cd)
• Scalar Quantities: completely specified by a single value or magnitude with an appropriate unit and has no direction (e.g. speed and distance)
• Vector Quantities: fully described by both magnitude and direction (e.g. velocity and displacement)
• Distance is the measure of how much ground an object has covered during its motion. Displacement is the measure of how far out of place an object is.
• Coordinate System

  • used to represent the location of a point in space
  • two kinds of coordinate systems: Cartesian/rectangular coordinate system (x, y) polar coordinate system (r, θ)
• Two vectors are considered equal only if they have equal magnitude and they point in the same direction.
• The sum of two or more vectors is represented by a resultant vector, 𝑅.
• The negative of vector A→ has the same magnitude but is opposite in direction.
• Vector subtraction is performed by adding the negative of the vector being subtracted from another vector.
• If vector → A is multiplied by a positive scalar quantity, m, then the product m → A has the same direction as A→ and has a magnitude equal to mA.
• If vector → A is multiplied by a negative scalar quantity, -m, then the product −mA→ has the opposite direction as A→ and has a magnitude equal to mA.