Experiment 2: Vector Addition

Laboratory Report
Kamylle Consebido, Hazel Dacuycuy, Jose Gerardo Del Rosario, Ira Gabrielli Delos Reyes,
Ancilla Diamante
Department of Occupational Therapy
College of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines
Abstract

2. Theory

This experiment aims to determine

the resultant displacement using three
various methods namely, the component,
parallelogram, and the polygon method and
prove that vector addition is both
commutative and associative. For the
polygon method, a group members initial
position and displacements of 1 m E, 2.5 m
N, and 3 m 30N of W were marked then, a
resultant displacement from his initial to his
final position was measured. For the
parallelogram
method,
the
same
displacements were used and a resultant
displacement was determined using a scale
of 1m=1cm. For the component method, the
x and y components of the resultant vector
were derived. The results showed that the
magnitude of R is 4.31 m, 68.2 N of W. In
conclusion, vector addition is proven to
show
commutative
and
associative
properties.

Vector addition is adding two or

more vectors together into a vector sum and
is achieved using three different methods:
component, parallelogram, and polygon. A
vector, defined as a measurement with both
magnitude and direction, is characterized by
three components namely, its x, y, and z
components. The addition of these
components respectively would result to the
vector sum or resultant vector, and this
method is called the component method. On
the other hand, the polygon method involves
drawing scaled vector diagrams and using
the head-to-tail method wherein different
displacements will be undertaken by the
subject and a resultant vector derived from
the tail of the first displacement to the head
of the last displacement, closing the figure
drawn. The parallelogram method involves
projecting parallel vectors, which would
have equal components as the original
vector, and forming a four-sided figure.
Lastly, the parallelograms diagonal would
become the vectors resultant vector, due to
the equality of the vectors projected.

1. Introduction
The practical application of this
experiment is manifested in aircraft/ship
navigation. It is also being used in the
modern day GPS. That experiment was
conducted to determine the resultant
displacement by the component method,
parallelogram method and polygon method.
It was also conducted to show that vector
addition is commutative and associative.

Formulas used:
R= ( x 2)+( y 2 )
=tan 1 I

y
I
x

Error=

I SE I
x 100
S

3. Methodology
For the polygon method, one of the
members in the group was tasked to stand at
an initial position which served as the origin.
Displacements were made with the
following magnitude and direction: 1 m e,
2.5 m n, and 3 m 30 n of w. The final
position was recorded and the resultant
displacement, magnitude and direction were
obtained. The member made another set of
displacements starting from the same initial
position. The displacements were: 2.5 m n,
30 n of w and 1 m e.The last set of
displacements made were 30 n of w, 2.5 m
n and 1 m e.
In the second activity, the resultant
displacement was obtained using a scale and
the parallelogram method. There were two
trials made to obtain the result. First, vector
a (1 m e) and vector b (2.5 m n) were drawn
and the resultant of a and b was obtained.
After obtaining the resultant of a and b,
vector c (30 n of w) was drawn and added
to the resultant. Second, vector b and vector
c were added first then their resultant was
added to vector a.
The third activity included the use of
the component method. The components of
the vectors were obtained and added to get
the summation of x and y. The magnitude
and direction of the resultant displacement
was obtained, and thus used as the accepted
value.
Experimental Setup:

4. Results and Discussion

Table 1. Polygon Method
Magnitude of
R
% error for
magnitude
Direction of R
% error for
direction

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

4.5

4.3

4.41%

7.19 %

0.23%

60 N of W

60 N of W

60 N of W

11.76%

11.76%

11.76%

Table 2. Parallelogram Method w/ Scale

of 1m:1cm
Length of arrow
representing R
Magnitude of R
% error for
magnitude
Direction of R
% error for
direction

Trial 1
1cm

Trial 2
1cm

4m
7.19%

4m
7.19%

60 N of W
11.76%

60 N of W
11.76%

Table 3. Component Method

Displacement

x-component

y-component

2.5

-3 cos 3/2

3sin1/2

x= -1.598
Magnitude of R =
4.31 m

y=4
Direction of R =
68.2

With the use of the component

method, each of the displacements were
assessed to determine the values of their x
and y components. The results from the
magnitude and the direction are then used as
the standard or accepted values to compute
the % errors of the magnitude and direction
for the resultant displacement obtained in
the activities using the polygon and
parallelogram method.
In the polygon method, three trials
were performed in order to get the

N of W

magnitude and direction of the resultant

vector. However, the order or sequence of
the values of each trials were changed which
showed the commutative property of vector
addition. Despite the fact that their orders
were changed, the results ended up as
precise as possible with the values 4.5 m., 4
m., and 4.3 m. respectively. When
computing for the %error for magnitude, it
is evident that Trial 3 has the least value of
%error, manifesting that it obtained the most
accurate measurements compared to the two
trials before. The other trials may have
attained larger %errors mainly because of
the occurrence of parallax errors. Since the
experimenters can view the measurement in
different angles, each of us reported
different values depending on how we
conveniently seen the measurement from
our perspective. On the other hand, a
random error was present due to the fact that
a meter stick has a restricted precision that
limits its ability to measure distances smaller
than its smallest scale division. For the
direction of the resultant vectors, all of the
trials obtained the same %errors since they
also had the same values for the direction of
their resultant vectors.
In the parallelogram method, two
trials were required and both of the trials
performed obtained the same results in the
magnitude and direction, thus the %errors
acquired were also the same. This method
also proved the associative property in
vector addition, since the results are the
same despite the changes in the manner of
grouping the displacements. The presence of
errors may be attributed to human errors and
parallax errors. There flaws in measuring
may come from basic incompetence and bias
of the experimenter, meaning, mistakes from
aligning the ruler and protractor properly,
and incorrectly reading the accurate
measurement
throughout
the
trials,
respectively.

5. Conclusion
The resultant displacement can be
obtained using three different methods: the
polygon, parallelogram and component
method. The most accurate value was
obtained using the component method thus
becoming the accepted value to compute for
the %error of magnitude and direction. The
commutative property of addition was
shown in the polygon method while the
associative property of addition was shown
in the parallelogram method. Errors may
have been made due to how the
displacements were drawn. Small spaces
between lines could lead to a larger value
thus the component method is used as the
most accurate and accepted value for it does
not require the displacements to be drawn.
Instead, fixed formulas are used to
determine accurate results.
6. Applications
1. Range of magnitude of the resultant?
The smallest value is possible when the two
vectors point in the opposite direction. The value
is 1 unit. (4 units 3 units)
The largest value is possible when the vectors
point in the same direction. The value is 7 units.
(4 units + 3 units)

a. Maximum resultant: 0
b. Minimum resultant: 180
c. Magnitude of 5 units:

90

d. Magnitude of 6 units: Approx. 63

2. Distance is simply the amount of space from

one point to another. It simply refers to how
much ground an object has covered up during its
motion and being a scalar quantity, it is
dependent only to its magnitude. On the other
hand, displacement is the overall change in
position of an object and measures how far out
of place an object is relative to its point of
origin. It is possible for one to have no
displacement though traveling great distances. A
good example would be when a jogger from
starting point, runs along an oval track over 5
times, covering vast amounts of distances. But
as the jogger returns to the starting point, the

distance covered may be great, but the

displacement of her position relative to the point
of origin is zero.
2
2
2
3. a +b =c
2

cos=

10.02
11.67

9. 17 + 2.5 = 11.67 m.

x = 1.77 + 8.25 = 10.02

=31 SE
Answer: 11.67 m.
& 31 SE

7. References
Sternheim, M., & Kane, J. (1991). General
physics. New Jersey: Wiley & Sons.

4.0 =c
8.25 2 +

c = 9.17 m

x = 2.5 cos 45

=cos1 (

10.02
)
11.67