SUMMER-1 2012

ADDITION OF VECTORS

EXPERIMENT 3- Addition of Vectors

OBJECTIVES When a number of forces passing through the same point, act on an object, they may be replaced by a single force which is called the resultant or the sum. The resultant therefore is a single force which is similar in effect to the effect produced by the several forces acting on the body. It is therefore a single force that replaces those forces. The objectives of this lab are to use graphical, analytic and experimental methods to: 1. Resolve a force vector into its rectangular components, and 2. To find the resultant of a number of forces acting on a body. APPARATUS 1. Force table 2. Four weight holders 3. Four pulleys 4. Slotted weights 9. A compass 5. Strings for suspending the masses 6. A ring 7. A metal pin 8. A protractor 10. Sheets of plain or graph paper.

THEORY OF VECTOR ADDITION

A.

Graphical Methods

Parallelogram Method Vectors are represented graphically by arrows. The length of a vector arrow (drawn to scale on graph paper) is proportional to the magnitude of the vector, and the arrow points in the direction of the vector. The length scale is arbitrary and usually selected for convenience and so that the vector graph fits nicely on the graph paper. See Fig 1a, where R = A + B. The magnitude R of the resultant vector is proportional to the length of the diagonal arrow and the direction of the resultant vector is that of the diagonal arrow R. The direction of R may be specified as being at an angle relative to A. Triangle Method An equivalent method of finding R is to place the vectors to be added "head to tail" (head of A to tail of B, Fig. l b). Vector arrows may be moved as long as they remain pointed in the same direction. The length and direction of the resultant is measured from the graph.

R B A R A

Figure 1 a: Parallelogram method b: Triangle method Polygon Method

Figure 1

SUMMER-1 2012

ADDITION OF VECTORS

If more than two vectors are added, the head-to-tail method forms a polygon (Fig. 2). For four vectors, the resultant R = A + B + C + D is the vector arrow from the tail of the A arrow to the head of the vector D. The length (magnitude) and the angle of orientation of R can be measured from the diagram. Figure 2

B.

Analytical Methods
B

Triangle Method The magnitude of resultant C in Fig. 3 can also be computed by using trigonometry. The Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines are especially useful for this: Law of Sines: Law of Cosines: A/Sin = B / Sin = C / Sin . C2 = A2 + B2 2AB Cos Figure 3 Method Of Components A vector A can be written as a sum of two vectors Ax and Ay along the x and y axis respectively, as shown. We call them the components of vector A and are given by: Ax = A cos Ay = A sin where 900 is the angle between the vector A and the x axis. In order to find the resultant vector R of a system of vectors A, B, C, etc we follow these steps: a) Find the x and y components for each vector using the above equations. i.e. find Ax, Bx, Cx ... and Ay, By, Cy .... Remember they can be positive or negative depending on their direction.
A C

b) Add up these components to get: Rx = Ax + Bx + Cx + Ry = Ay + By + Cy + c) Now, the magnitude of R is : [Rx2 + Ry2] the direction of R is : = tan -1 [Ry / Rx] where is the angle between R and x axis. If > 0 then R is either in the 1st or 3rd quadrant If < 0 then R is either in the 2nd or 4th quadrant.

SUMMER-1 2012

ADDITION OF VECTORS

PROCEDURE
1)

VECTOR RESOLUTION: Consider a force vector = 0.3g N at the 40 angle. Resolve this vector into its x- and y-components by the following methods: A) Graphical: Draw a vector diagram to scale, and find the component vectors. Measure the magnitudes of Fx and Fy. Record the results in the data table. B) Analytical: Compute the magnitudes of Fx and Fy. Record the results in the data table. C) Experimental: The force 0.3g N is equal to that due to a suspended mass of 300 grams. The Equilibrant Vector is the force vector of equal magnitude, but opposite in direction to the Resultant (i.e. E = -R). The Equilibrant is therefore equal to a suspended mass of 300 grams at the 40+180 = 220 angle. On the force table, clamp a pulley at 220 and hang a mass of 300 gram. Now attach two pulleys, one at 0 and the other at 90 (the x- and ycomponents), and add weights to them until they balance the equilibrant force. Equilibrium is seen when the ring in the center of the force table is centered. The two forces are the xand y- components of the original force. Record them in the data table. They should be very close to the values found in A) and B)

2)

VECTOR ADDITION: Find the sum of two forces: 0.1g N at 30 and 0.2g N at 120, by: A) Graphical method, B) Analytical method and C) Experimental method: Clamp two pulleys at the 30 and 120 positions and suspend masses of 100 g and 200 g on them respectively. Now find the Equilibrant by clamping a pulley at an angle 180 plus the angle found by any of the first two methods. Attach enough mass to this third pulley to balance the system. If needed, adjust the position of the pulley. The magnitude and position of the equilibrant is thus found. The resultant of the two forces has the same magnitude, and opposite direction to the equilibrant. Note this in the data table.

3)

VECTOR ADDITION: In addition to the two forces of procedure 2, add a third force = 0.150g N at 230. Find the vector sum by all three methods.

CALCULATIONS Show your calculations for the analytic method and the method of components.

SUMMER-1 2012

ADDITION OF VECTORS

EXPERIMENT 3- Addition of Vectors Name: ___________________________________

REPORT FORM Date: _______________

FORCE/S

RESULTANT (MAG + DIR) ANALYTICAL ANALYTICAL GRAPHICAL (TRIANGLE (COMPONENT METHOD) METHOD) Fx = Fx =

EXPERIMENTAL Fx =

VECTOR RESOLUTION

F= 0.3g N, = 40

Fy =

Fy =

Fy =

VECTOR ADDITION

F1 = 0.1g N, = 30 F2 = 0.2g N, = 120

F1 = 0.1g N, = 30
VECTOR ADDITION

F2 = 0.2g N, = 120 F3 = 0.15g N, = 230

SUMMER-1 2012

ADDITION OF VECTORS

EXPERIMENT 3- Addition of Vectors

Pre-Lab Questions Due before lab begins. Answer in the space provide below. Date ______________ Name ______________________________

Vector A has magnitude 20 N and direction 30. Vector B has magnitude 25 N and direction 130.
a.

Calculate the resultant by using the Law of sines and the Law of cosines

b. Using the method of components

c.

Drawing the vectors on a graph paper and measuring the values. (attach graph)

SUMMER-1 2012

ADDITION OF VECTORS

EXPERIMENT 3 Addition of Vectors

Post-Laboratory Questions Name: _________________________________________
1)

Date: __________________

If you did not have pulleys while doing this experiment, what errors would you expect to have.

2) How can the accuracy of this experiment be improved?

3) A person A is pulling an object with a force of 100 N along the East direction. Person B is pulling along North with a force of 200 N. With what force and in which direction should you pull so that the object does not move.