<section>
<h2 class="title">Graphical Representation of Vectors</h2>
<p>Vectors are drawn as arrows. An arrow has both a magnitude (how long it is) and a direction (the direction in which it points). The starting point of a vector is known as the <em>tail</em> and the end point is known as the <em>head</em>.</p>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 311px"><img alt="3f4fdd991bfe1fc39712f43d323b6f5f.png" height="122" src="https://data.ulearngo.com/assets/9234d16e-c117-492a-9cc9-48745eb1aa73" width="311"/><p class="wp-caption-text">Examples of vectors</p></div> <div class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 359px"><img alt="832bbda747525b4970ddc92fc65e5c24.png" height="75" src="https://data.ulearngo.com/assets/85847983-1c96-4d7f-94b3-f1c64b8aa7d2" width="359"/><p class="wp-caption-text">Parts of a vector</p></div>
<h2>Directions</h2>
<p>There are many acceptable methods of writing vectors. As long as the vector has a magnitude and a direction, it is most likely acceptable. These different methods come from the different methods of representing a direction for a vector.</p>
</section><section>
<h3 class="title">Relative Directions</h3>
<p>The simplest way to show direction is with relative directions: to the left, to the right, forward, backward, up and down.</p>
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<section>
<h3 class="title">Compass Directions</h3>
<p>Another common method of expressing directions is to use the points of a compass: North, South, East, and West. If a vector does not point exactly in one of the compass directions, then we use an angle. For example, we can have a vector pointing \(\text{40}\)\(\text{°}\) North of West. Start with the vector pointing along the West direction (look at the dashed arrow below), then rotate the vector towards the north until there is a \(\text{40}\)\(\text{°}\) angle between the vector and the West direction (the solid arrow below). The direction of this vector can also be described as: W \(\text{40}\)\(\text{°}\) N (West \(\text{40}\)\(\text{°}\) North); or N \(\text{50}\)\(\text{°}\) W (North \(\text{50}\)\(\text{°}\) West).</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://data.ulearngo.com/assets/9cc465ab-e6a1-4568-aa04-3330387fae53"/></p>
<p><img alt="f6ee959ed70388fff15b5dffa960129a.png" src="https://data.ulearngo.com/assets/dd5fd170-24d0-418f-ab29-0f6cc5493bdd"/></p>
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<section>
<h3 class="title">Bearing</h3>
<p>A further method of expressing direction is to use a <em>bearing</em>. A bearing is a direction relative to a fixed point. Given just an angle, the convention is to define the angle clockwise with respect to North. So, a vector with a direction of \(\text{110}\)\(\text{°}\) has been rotated clockwise \(\text{110}\)\(\text{°}\) relative to North. A bearing is always written as a three digit number, for example \(\text{275}\)\(\text{°}\) or \(\text{080}\)\(\text{°}\) (for \(\text{80}\)\(\text{°}\)).</p>
<img alt="f9a01c2bce11295d3b9c8342a8540d71.png" src="https://data.ulearngo.com/assets/0903cc22-ffd4-4545-8353-a4957f871fe8"/></section>
<section></section>

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Graphical Representation of Vectors

Physics is a science discipline concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. Physics topics include mechanics, heat, light and radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, the structure of atoms, and so on.

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Discover the principles and operations of scalars and vectors such as graphical and algebraic techniques of vector addition, finding magnitude with Pythagoras theorem, and resultant force on a submarine.


Graphical Representation of Vectors

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