http://www.ck12.org Chapter 4. Motion and Forces
Summary
- Direction is an important component of motion.
- A compass rose shows cardinal directions on a map.
- A vector is a measurement that has both size and direction and may be represented by an arrow. A vector can
be used to represent both distance and direction of motion.
Vocabulary
- vector: Measure such as velocity that includes both size and direction; may be represented by an arrow.
Explore More
At the following URL, read the introduction to vectors and try the animations. Then answer the questions below.
http://zonalandeducation.com/mstm/physics/mechanics/vectors/introduction/introductionVectors.html
- Compare scalars and vectors. Give an example of each that is related to motion.
- How can the direction part of a vector be expressed as a number?
Review
- Think of a short route you commonly take, such as the route from your home to a friend’s house or your
school. Describe the direction(s) and distance(s) you travel over this route. - What is a vector? How can an arrow represent distance and direction of motion?
- Draw vectors to represent these motions:
a. moving 3 cm to the right
b. moving 2 cm to the left