Vector Components
Vector addition is the process of combining two vectors into one. Resolving vectors is the
process of taking one vector and “separating it” into two. These two vectors are called the
components of the original vector.
The main use of vector components is to take vectors that do not point in convenient directions
(north, south, east, west), and replace them with a pair of vectors (the components) that do.
Properties of Vector Components
1. Each vector has two components: one component along the x-axis, the other along the y-axis.
Therefore, the components of a vector are always perpendicular to each other.
2. If we add the two components of a given vector, the sum will be the given vector.
3. The two components of a vector are independent of each other. In other words, what happens
to one component of a vector has no effect on what happens to the other component of the
vector.
Resolving a Vector
To resolve a vector, simply consider the vector to be the hypotenuse of a right triangle, which
has one leg that is horizontal (the x-component) and one leg that is vertical (the y-component).
By knowing the magnitude and direction of the original vector, the magnitudes of the
components can be found using trigonometry.
Example 1
Resolve the vector A = 10 m [ 30° W of N ] .
PH30S Mr. Smith
Vectors with Zero Components
It is possible for one or both components of a vector to be zero. In the case of a vector that is
vertical, the x-component is zero.
Example 2
Resolve the vector A = 1.0 N [ North ] .
For a vector that is horizontal, the y-component is zero.
Example 3
Resolve the vector A = 1.0 N [West ] .
If the magnitude of a vector is zero, then both of its components are also zero.
Example 4
Resolve the vector A = 0 .
Vectors that are Equal
Two vectors are equal if they have the same magnitude and direction. Two vectors are equal only
if the components of the vectors are also equal.
Homework
Vector Components Worksheet
PH30S Mr. Smith
Vector Components Worksheet
1. What are the components of a vector of magnitude 1.5 m at an angle of 35° from the
positive x-axis? ( 1.2 m ; 0.86 m )
2. A hiker walks 14.7 km at an angle 35° south of east. Find the east and north components of
this walk. ( 12 km ; !8.4 km )
3. An airplane flies at 65 m / s in the direction 149° counterclockwise from east. What are the
east and north components of the plane’s velocity? ( !56 m / s ; 33 m / s )
4. A golf ball, hit from the tee, travels 325 m in a direction 25° south of the east axis. What are
the east and north components of its displacement? ( 295 m ; !137 m )
5. A boat sails in a straight line 20 km [ 30° E of N ] . What are the components of its
displacement to the north and east? ( 17 km ; 10 km )
6. A cannon fires a cannonball with a speed of 100 m / s at an angle of 20° above the
horizontal. What are the horizontal and vertical components of the initial velocity of the
cannonball? ( 94 m / s ; 34 m / s )
7. A girl swims at 3.0 m / s across a swimming pool, as shown. What are the components of her
swimming velocity in each of the following directions?
a. across the pool ( 1.5 m / s )
b. along the pool’s edge ( 2.6 m / s )
8. An airplane is climbing at an angle of 15° to the horizon, with the sun directly overhead. Its
shadow is observed to be moving across the ground at 200 km / h .
a. What is the actual airspeed of the plane? ( 207 km / h )
b. How long does it take to increase the airplane’s altitude by 1000 m ? ( 0.019 h )
9. A football player is running at a constant speed in a straight line up the field at an angle of
15° to the sidelines. The coach notices that it takes the player 4.0 s to get from the 25 m
line to the goal line. How fast is the player running? ( 6.5 m / s )
PH30S Mr. Smith
