Vectors in Physics ( IB Physics 1.3 )

This course is about  basic knowledge of vectors in physics (for ib physics chapter 1.3). It will be useful to everyone who has started studying physics or wants to repeat it, regardless of the level or program. It contains basic ideas on how to work with vectors in the sections of mechanics, electricity, magnetism, fields. The course will be useful as an introduction to vector algebra when studying mathematics.

Quantities in physics are either scalars (i.e. they just have magnitude but no direction) or vectors (i.e. they have magnitude and direction).This course provides the tools you need for dealing with vectors. We treat scalar quantities as numbers (albeit with units) and use the rules of algebra when dealing with them. Vector quantities are those which have both magnitude and direction. We must use vector algebra when dealing with vectors since we must take into account direction. The vector equivalent of distance is called displacement (i.e., it is a distance in a specified direction). The vector equivalent of speed is velocity (i.e., it is the speed in a specified direction). We have different approach to this vectors and scalars quantities. Basic tools for vectors is:

– Scale drawing (graphical) approach

– Algebraic approach

– Addition of vectors (resultant vector)

– Subtraction of vectors

– Multiplication of a vector by a scalar

– Components of a vector

– Reconstructing a vector from its components

– Right and left hand rule

– Scalar and vector multiplication