Displacement vectors

Displacement is a vector \(\vec{r} = r\angle \theta \), has magnitude \(r\) (\(r=|\vec{r}|\)) and direction \( \theta \).

Graphical vector addition: \(\vec{C} = \vec{A} + \vec{B}\) i.e. first \(\vec{A}\) and then \(\vec{B}\)

[img] [img]
tail--to--head rule parallelogram rule

Of course, \( \vec{A} + \vec{B} = \vec{B} + \vec{A} \), so it could be first \(\vec{B}\) and then \(\vec{A}\)

Magnitudes do not just add: \( C \neq A + B \)