PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA Intramuros, Manila COLLEGE OF SCIENCE Department of Physical Science General Physics I

Experiment No.2 Vector Addition Blasco, Julien Marise Dizon, Jesiree Mae Herrera, Khristine Marie Juaban, Kim Alexie Nualla, Allen Pierre Quilantang, Leonard Sibug, Alma Melissa

INTRODUCTION Vectors play an important role in many aspects of our everyday lives or of one s daily routine. Some people think that vectors are just plain quantities used in physics class. In contrary with their way of thinking, vectors are actually the foundation of many professions. A vector is a mathematical quantity that has both a magnitude and direction. A vector is frequently represented by a line segment with a definite direction, or graphically as an arrow. A vector is what is needed to "carry" the point A to the point B; the Latin word vector means "carrier". The study of vectors had gone through a lot of revisions, starting from the 19th century where mathematicians used geometrical representations for complex numbers. Lots of changes and multiple varieties of altering were conducted to this study, which led to the discovery of the vector that we all know today. Operations on vectors are also made possible through time. Addition of vectors was clarified and can now be done in different ways. Vector addition in a graphical way can use the polygon method, the parallelogram method, or the triangle method. Analytically, a vector addition can be done through the law of sine, law of cosine, or the component method. Today, vectors are used to indicate the directions for many transportation vehicles. Whenever directions are important in your real life, then unit vectors are important. If everything was confined to move along a straight line, then unit vectors would not be important. Moving in space, unit vectors are more needed. Cars, ships and planes all move in space. Controlling and tracking these all involve unit vectors.

LIST OF MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT: Force Table Four (4) weight Hangers One (1) set of slotted masses Protractor Ruler Strings

PROCEDURE: The laboratory instructor will assign a set of three vectors for each group. A. Two Forces Considered 1. With the two vectors given, the first two will be used. 2. Compute the resultant vector of these two vectors graphical and analytical methods. These computed values will be classified as the true or accepted values of the resultant force. With these values, the equilibrant is determined. 3. The experimental value of the magnitude of the resultant force is now analyzed using the force table. Each of the given forces and the equilibrant will be represented by using the slotted masses placed in the weight hangers. 4. Se the system in the equilibrium by considering the ring at the center of the force table. This is done by displacing the ring of the table. Tap the table. Once it returns to its central position, the exerted forces are balanced. Note: The mass of the weight hanger is included in the magnitude of the forces considered. 5. Compute the percentage error using the date gathered.

B. Three Forces Considered 1. Use the three vectors given by your instructor. 2. Compute the resultant vector using graphical and analytical methods. These values will be used as the true or accepted values. 3. Repeat steps 3-5 of procedure A.

Data and Results: TABLE 1. TWO (2) FORCES GIVEN A= 1.96 N, 35 counterclockwise from +x B= 0.98 N, 50 clockwise from +x

Graphical Method Experimental Value 2.26 N, 9.38 above +x-axis 2.26 N, 9.38 South of West

True Value Resultant Force Equilibrant 2.26 N, 9.38 above +x-axis 2.26 N, 9.38 South of West

Percentage Error

0% 0%

Analytical Method

True Value 2.26 N, 9.38 above +x-axis 2.26 N, 9.38 South of West

Experimental Value 2.26 N, 9.38 above +x-axis 2.26 N, 9.38 South of West

Percentage Error

Resultant Force Equilibrant

0% 0%

TABLE 2. THREE (3) FORCES GIVEN A= 1.96 N, 35 Counter clockwise from +x B= 0.98 N, 50 Clockwise from +x C= 0.49 N, -y

Graphical Method

True Value 2.24 N, 3.07 below +x-axis 2.24 N, 3.07 North of East

Experimental Value 2.24 N, 3.07 below +x-axis 2.24 N, 3.07 North of East

Percentage Error

Resultant Force Equilibrant

0% 0%

Analytical Method

True Value 2.24 N, 3.07 below +x-axis 2.24 N, 3.07 North of East

Experimental Value 2.24 N, 3.07 below +x-axis 2.24 N, 3.07 North of East

Percentage Error

Resultant Force Equilibrant

0% 0%

Analysis of Data: The data that we have gathered from the three experiments were analyzed and we have finally arrived to these interpretations: 1. For table no. 1, we were given two vectors to be added. We were also asked to get its resultant force and equilibrant by using both the graphical method and the analytical method. By using these two methods we have arrived at the same resultant force. The equilibrant of these two vectors has an equal magnitude with the resultant force but with opposite direction. It shows that both graphical and analytical methods were effective ways to compute for the sum of the vectors we added. 2. For table no. 2, there were three vectors given. We were asked to add the vectors and get its resultant force and equilibrant by using both graphical method and the analytical method. By using these two methods, we have arrived having exactly the same answers again. We may also use the sum of the first two vectors present in the first table as reference. Adding the third vector to the sum in the first table would give us the same answer too. The equilibrant force and resultant force are equal. The only difference is their direction.

Guide Questions: 1) What is the difference between graphical and analytical method? Graphical method is a method used to add vectors by graphing the vectors. While, Analytical method is a method used to add vectors by trigonometric functions or the component method.

2) What is an equilibrant? How does it differ from resultant? Equilibrant of any number of forces is the single force required to produce equilibrium. It differ from resultant because it has equal magnitude but opposite in direction.

3) Define concurrent forces. Concurrent force is forces acting at a point on a body or whose lines of action converge at a point.

4) A force pulls at an angle of 26 and has y-component of 500 N. Find the magnitude of the force (in N). Given: Fy = 500 N  = 26 Required: magnitude of the force in Newtons (r) Solution: sin = sin26 = r= r = 1, 140.59 N

5) Two forces F1= 8.0 N at an angle of 60 above the +x-axis and F2 = 5.5 N at an angle of 40 below the +x-axis are applied to an object at the origin. What third force F3 would make the net or resultant force on the object zero?

Given: F1= 8.0 N, 60 above +x- axis F2= 5.5 N, 40 below the +x- axis Required: F3 which would make the net or resultant force on the object zero Solution: x F1 F2 R1 R1 = R1 = R1 = 8.9 N tan = tan = ( ) = tan-1 ( ) = 22.5 R1 = 8.9 N, 22.5 above +x- axis F3 = - R1 F3 = - (8.9 N, 22.5 above +x- axis) F3 = 8.9 N, 22.5 S of W x F1 F2 F3 R2 8cos60 5.5cos40 -8.9sin22.5 0 y 8sin60 -5.5sin40 -8.9sin22.5 0 8cos60 5.5cos40 8.2 y 8sin60 -5.5sin40 3.4

Conclusions/Recommendation There are many methods we can use to add vector quantities. Graphically, we can use the parallelogram method and polygon method. Analytically, the law of sine, law of cosine, and component method can be used. These different methods can give us different answers depending on the way we handle them. If we use the correct and exact ways to add the vectors, may it be graphically or analytically, we can rest assured that we will get the same or maybe close answers. From the experiment that we had conducted, we have compared the answers that we got from adding the vectors graphically and analytically. We were able to get the same answers, which led us to a conclusion that both analytical and graphical methods can give use the exact sum of the vectors we are adding. This experiment would have been better if the force tables were available for all the groups so that we wouldn t be sharing with the other groups because the answers of the groups that we had shared the force table with might affect the results of our experiment. Other than that, no problems and no recommendations anymore can be suggested.