Physics Worksheet Two Dimensional Motion and Vectors

Mr. Lin 1
0 Introduction
a. Motions take place in more than one dimension can be divided into separate motions in each dimension.
This separation means that we can apply the laws that were developed for one dimension to many
dimensions.
b. In this lesson, we will focus at two-dimensional motion that is, motion confined to a flat surface.

1 Vector and Scalar Quantities
a. Physical quantities can be categorized as either scalar or vector quantities.
b. A scalar quantity has magnitude only, with no direction specified. A vector quantity has both magnitude
and direction.

Question 1
a. List five scalar quantities in physics: ______________________, ______________________

______________________, ______________________, ______________________

b. List four vector quantities in physics: ______________________, ______________________

______________________, ______________________

2 Vector Representation
An arrow is used to represent the magnitude and direction of a vector quantity. The
length of the arrow, drawn to scale, indicates the magnitude of the vector quantity.
The direction of the arrow indicates the direction of the vector quantity.

Question 2
a. If the diagram represents a displacement
vector of 1 km, draw a displacement vector
of 3 km:




b. If the diagram represents a velocity vector
of 20 m/s, draw a velocity vector of 30 m/s:




c. If 1 cm represents 10 m/s, draw a velocity
vector of 20 m/s Left:



d. If 1 cm represents 5 m/s
2
and the upward
direction is defined as the positive direction,
draw the acceleration due to gravity vector
(g):


e. Draw and label (a) a displacement vector
!
A
with magnitude of 12.0 m and direction of
60
o
, (b) a displacement vector
!
B with
magnitude of 14.1 m and direction of 135
o
,
and (c) a displacement vector
!
C with
magnitude of 10.0 m and direction of 90
o
:




Head
Tail
1 km
20 m/s
Physics Worksheet Two Dimensional Motion and Vectors

Mr. Lin 2
3 One-dimensional vector addition: The result of adding two vectors is the sum (two vectors have same
directions) or difference (two vectors have opposite directions) of the two lengths and the direction of the longer
one.




Question 3
a. If John walks 10 m to the right, 6 m to the left, 2 m to the right, and then 9 m to the left. What is (a) the total
distance, and (b) the total displacement of John after all these movements.




b. If a boat moves toward east at 25 km/hr relative to the river, while the speed of the river current is 5 km/hr
to the west, what is the actual speed of the boat from an observer on the river bank?





4 Two-dimensional vector addition: The result of adding two vectors, called the resultant, is the diagonal of the
parallelogram described by the two vectors. When the two vectors are perpendicular to each other, the resultant
is the diagonal of the rectangle.
a. 3-step (parallelogram) vector addition:





i) Draw two vectors with their tail touching.
ii) Draw a parallel projection of each vector with dashed lines to form a parallelogram.
iii) Draw the diagonal from the point where the two tails are touching.

b. Head-tail method for vector addition:








i) Choose a scale and indicate it on paper.
ii) Select a starting point and draw the first vector to scale in the indicated direction. Label the magnitude
and direction of the scale on the diagram.
iii) Starting from the head of the first vector, draw the second vector to scale in the indicated direction.
Label the magnitude and direction of the vector on the diagram.
iv) Repeat steps (iii) for all vectors which are to be added. (The order is not important!)
v) Draw the resultant from the tail of the first vector to the head of the last vector.
vi) Using a ruler, measure the length of the resultant and determine its magnitude by converting to real
units using the scale.
vii) Measure the direction of the resultant using the counterclockwise convention.

!
3

1
2
30
o

!
3

1
!
3

1
!
"
!
"
R
!
"
!
"
5 m E. 5 m E.
10 m E. 5 m E.
5 m W. 10 m E.
Physics Worksheet Two Dimensional Motion and Vectors

Mr. Lin 3
c. Vector subtraction: One vector subtracts another vector is the same as one vector adds another negative
vector. For example:
!
R =
!
A
!
B is the same as
!
R =
!
A + (
!
B).




Question 4
Find the resultants of the following vectors:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h. If A = 3 m/s, B = 4 m/s, what is the
magnitude of the resultant?

Find the difference vector
!
R =
!
A
!
B:
i. j.

5 Components of Vectors
a. Component: Any vector can be resolved into two component vectors at right angle to each other. These
two vectors are called the components of the vector. Any vector can be
resolved into vertical and horizontal components.
b. Resolution: The process of determining the components of a vector is
called resolution.
c. Vector resolution:
i) Vertical and horizontal lines are drawn from the tail of the vector.
ii) A rectangle is drawn that encloses the vector as its diagonal.
iii) The sides of this rectangle are desired components, vector v
x
and v
y
.




Velocity
Horizontal Velocity
Vertical
Velocity
v
v
x
v
y
Y

v
v
x
v
y
Y

v
!
"

!
"

A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
B
F
A

F
B

F
N

F
g

B
A
A
B
B
A
B
A
R
B
A
A
B
Physics Worksheet Two Dimensional Motion and Vectors

Mr. Lin 4
d. Calculate vector components:
i) The magnitude of the horizontal component v
x
= v cos !.
ii) The magnitude of the vertical component v
y
= v sin !.

Question 5
Find the horizontal and vertical components of the following vectors:
a. b.

Calculate the magnitudes of the horizontal and vertical components of the following vectors:
c. d.


6 Two-dimensional vector addition through vector
resolution:
a. Resolve all the vectors into horizontal and vertical
components.
b. Find horizontal component of the final resultant by
adding all the horizontal components of the vectors.
c. Find vertical component of the final resultant by
adding all the vertical components of the vectors.
d. Find the final resultant by adding the horizontal and
vertical components of the final resultant.








Question 6
Find the resultant through vector resolution











V
A
V = 20 m/s


30
o

V
x
V
y
V = 10 m/s


40
o

V
x
V
y
A

B
R
A

B
Physics Worksheet Two Dimensional Motion and Vectors

Mr. Lin 5
Question 7
a. Calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant.







b. Calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant.









c. Calculate the magnitude and direction of the resultant.









Question 8
a. If car A moves toward east at 10 m/s, and car B moves toward west at 20 m/s, whats the relative velocity
of car A with respect to car B? Whats the relative velocity of car B with respect to car A?




b. If car A moves toward east at 10 m/s, and car B moves toward north at 20 m/s, whats the velocity of car A
relative to car B? Whats the velocity of car B relative to car A?





c. A riverboat was to head straight north across a river with speed 3 m/s while the river currents speed is 4
m/s toward east. If the rivers width is 240 m, (a) how long will it take for the boat to cross the river? (b)
How far apart from the point straight across the river will the boat reach? (c) How far will the boat
actually travel to cross the river?






V
A
= 20 m/s


V
B
= 20 m/s
30
o
30
o
x

y

V
A
= 20 m/s


V
B
= 20 m/s
30
o
60
o
x

y

V
A
= 20 m/s


V
B
= 10 m/s
x

y