Dr Pusey

Learning Outcomes
Distinguish between Distance and Displacement when

comparing positions

Distinguish between Scalar and Vector Quantities

Add and subtract vectors in one and two dimensions

What are 1, 2 and 3 dimensional

space?
Think of it like this:
1 Dimensional (1D) - sideways
2 Dimensional (2D) - sideways

and upwards

3 Dimensional (3D) sideways,

upwards and into!

Vectors and Scalars

Scalars
Magnitude only

Examples

Distance (20 m)
Speed (10 m/s)
Mass (30 kg)

Vectors
Magnitude AND direction

Examples

Displacement (20 m North)

Velocity (10 m/s Eastwards)

Weight (20 N Downwards)

No Joke! Weight is a Force, Forces are Vectors

Check your understanding

Example
5m

30 m/s, East
5 km, North

20 degrees Celsius
256 bytes

4000 Calories

Scalar or Vector?

Check your understanding

Example

Scalar or Vector?

5m

This is a scalar; there is no

direction listed for it.

5 km, North

This is a vector; a direction is listed

for it.

30 m/s, East
20 degrees Celsius

256 bytes

4000 Calories

This is a vector; a direction is listed

for it.
This is a scalar; there is no
direction listed for it.

This is a scalar; there is no

direction listed for it.
This is a scalar; there is no
direction listed for it.

Examples of Scalars and Vectors

Mass
Momentum
Velocity
Weight
Work

Scalar

Length
Distance
Displacement
Speed
Velocity

Power
Energy
Acceleration
Force
Friction

Vector

Examples of Scalars and Vectors

Scalar

Vector

Mass
Length
Distance
Speed
Power
Energy
Work

Displacement
Velocity
Acceleration
Force
Weight
Friction
Momentum

Distance vs Displacement
Distance is a scalar quantity that refers to how much

ground an object has covered during its motion.

Displacement is a vector quantity that refers to how

far out of place an object is; it is the object's overall

change in position.

Adding Vectors
Example 1
A student walks 5 m forwards and then 5 m backwards.
What distance did she travel?
What is her displacement?

Adding Vectors
Example 1
A student walks 5 m forwards and then 5 m backwards.
What distance did she travel?
5 m + 5 m = 10 m
What is her displacement?
0m
5m
5m

Distance and Displacement

Distance: The total path

Displacement: The difference in position from the

start

http://thescienceclassroom.org/physics/motion-in-1-d/distance-and-displacement/

Position, Distance, Displacement

Home

7 km

School

6 km

A student walks to the Beach for a quick surf in the

morning and then back to School to start his day.
A) What distance did he travel?
B) What is his displacement?

Beach
3 km

Cinemas

Position, Distance, Displacement

Home

7 km

Displacement

School

Distance

6 km

Distance

Beach
3 km

A) What distance did he travel? 7+6+6 = 19km

B) What is his displacement? 7km East

Cinemas

Position, Distance, Displacement

Home

7 km

School

6 km

He then decides to go and watch the latest

vampire / goth movie with his mates after school.

Beach
3 km

What is the total distance travelled?

What is the displacement of the student?

Total: HOME BEACH SCHOOL CINEMAS

Cinemas

Position, Distance, Displacement

Home

7 km

Distance:

Beach (13km)
+School (6km)
+Cinema (6.7km)
= 25.7km

School

6 km

62

32

+
=6.7km

Beach

3 km

Displacement: Vector Addition

Home

7 km

School

Displacement
= 13.3 km SOUTH-EAST

6 km

132 + 32
=13.3 km

Beach

3 km

HELP! LOST DRONE!

Dr Puseys SupaTEK Drones GPS has failed and we are
trying to work out where it currently is so we can give
co-ordinates to bring it home! The telemetry data shows
the following sequence of vectors:
7km North 4km East 3km South 8km West
What two vectors would bring the drone home?

MEGA BONUS POINTS What ONE vector would bring

the drone home?

HELP! LOST DRONE!

7km North 4km East 3km South 8km West
First: Stack the vectors up (head to toe) and draw the
RESULTANT VECTOR This is the Displacement
Vector
4km

8km
Resultant Vector

7km

3km

HELP! LOST DRONE!

Work out how far North and East the drone is using graph
paper. OR, Simply add up the North and East components
separately.
7km 3km = 4 km North
4km 8km = -4 km East = 4 km West
4km
8km
Resultant Vector

7km

2km

4km
4km

Bring it home
2 Vectors to Return:
=4km East and 4km South
1 Vector to Return:
=5.66 km South-East

4km
= 42 + 42
= 5.66 km

4km

How did you go?

Distinguish between Distance and Displacement when

comparing positions

Distinguish between Scalar and Vector Quantities

Add and subtract vectors in one and two dimensions