Recent content by lrl4565

I find physics... occasionally frustrating. I have so many questions! How to get them all answered? I don't know, but that thing about just memorizing the formulas may actually be a step in the right direction. I've heard that high school physics is basically background stuff. You have to just...

So, Force = Mass x Acceleration. Alright, but what happens when a 400 pound truck hits you going at a constant velocity of 70 miles per hour? Acceleration is 0. Does this mean that the truck exerts no force?

Whoah! I've got a question. So one force pushes thing A north, and another pushes thing A west. That means that thing A is actually going to have more force, and travel faster, if there are two forces acting on it rather than one? Holy s****!

So, magnitude is the absolute value of the displacement? Err, wait, scalar = distance

So, my main goal in asking these questions is to determine WHAT a vector is, why they exist, and how they differ from scalars. What I have so far: The purpose of vectors is to make it simpler to deal with "things" that have both a distance and a location... so velocity HAS to have a location...

Scalar = magnitude. So can magnitude be negative?

Alright... vectors deal with things where location matters. Can you give me an example of how a vector would be useful? How magnitude and direction can coexist?

Can scalars be negative? Or are they the absolute value? Distance (scalar) is always positive, but temperature (scalar) is more confusing... would -30 degrees just be... 30 degrees?

So, I'm assuming that scalars are what I'm used to working with in math. You add, subtract, multiply, etc.; they follow the rules I know. 1 + 1 = 2. Scalar = Magnitude Vector = Magnitude and Direction Now, how do magnitude and direction coexist? Right now I'm just seeing some scalar volume...

I am... a slacker who hasn't been living up to their full potential. I used to do very well, but then I just got lost in existential depression. I spend most of my time bored, searching for something entertaining to pass the time. It's usually internet forums or TV... but they're starting to...

Naty1's link is for Euclidean Vectors

Aren't we talking about displacement vectors? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Displacement_vectorHow do they relate to Euclidean vectors? Is that the link to other types of vectors?

Is all the material up to date? Does he teach any currently incorrect concepts?

So, I started with "Physics for Dummies", but it quickly became confusing. They use speed and velocity interchangeably... calling acceleration the rate at which speed changes, talking about negative speed, telling me that vector a + vector b = vector c. After internet research, I'm pretty sure...

My book says vector a + vector b = vector c. It uses (x,y) coordinates. Vector a: (x1,y1) Vector b: (x2,y2) Vector c: (x1+x2, y1+y2) Filip Larsen, what you just described gives me the magnitude of the displacement. Am I measuring distance or displacement? Is the vector all about displacement?