Motion in a Plane — Chapter Summary

Scalar quantities have only magnitude (e

Scalar quantities have only magnitude (e.g., mass, speed). Vector quantities have both magnitude and direction (e.g., displacement, velocity, force).

Vectors are added using the triangle

Vectors are added using the triangle law or parallelogram law. The resultant vector is found from the tail of the first to the tip of the last. Subtra

A vector can be split into

A vector can be split into two perpendicular components, usually along the x and y axes. For a vector A at angle θ, Ax = A cosθ and Ay = A sinθ.

When an object is thrown at

When an object is thrown at an angle to the horizontal, it follows a curved path under gravity. The horizontal motion has constant velocity, while the

By eliminating time from the equations

By eliminating time from the equations of motion, we get y = x tanθ − (gx²)/(2u²cos²θ), which is a parabolic equation.