Resolution Of A Vector In A Plane - Rectangular Components

Consider the following vector r; the vector r can be resolved into horizontal and vertical
components, these two components add up to give us the resultant vector i.e. vector r.
How do we calculate the rectangular components of a given vector?
We should know that there are two rectangular components for a vector, i.e. the horizontal
component and the vertical component, the horizontal component lies on the x-axis whereas the
vertical component lies on the y-axis,
Think of it this way; the horizontal component will resemble the shadow of the vector r falling
on the x-axis if the light were shining from above. Similarly, the vertical component will
resemble the shadow of vector r falling on the y-axis if the light were shining from the side.
Now let us call the vertical component →rvrv→ and the horizontal vector as →rhrh→ and let us call
the angle made by the vector →rr→ with the horizontal component as θ.
If we notice carefully the 3 vector →rvrv→ →rhrh→ and →rr→ form the 3 sides of a right angled
triangle, so from trigonometry we can say that,
| →rhrh→ | = | →r|cosθr→|cosθ
The reason is for the angle θθ r is the hypotenuse and r is the adjacent side, so adj/hyp = cosine of
h 

the angle, so from this rule we can find the magnitude of the horizontal vector given that we
know the magnitude of the vector r and the angle it makes with the horizontal vector.
Similarly, the magnitude of the vertical component can be found using the sine function because
the vertical component resembles the opposite side of the triangle and opp/hyp = sine of the
angle, thereby the magnitude of the vertical component is given by,
| →rvrv→ | = | →r|sinθr→|sinθ
Now that we know how to get the magnitude of the rectangular components of the two vectors
how do we find out the direction and the magnitude of the resultant vector if its horizontal and
vertical components are given, this could be done easily with a graphical method,
Imagine we have the horizontal component of magnitude 100 Newtons and a vertical component
of magnitude 40 Newtons then we can draw a right-angled triangle with the given data. By
plotting the lengths of the vectors proportional to their magnitude. i.e.
Now the resultant vector could be drawn as the hypotenuse, and the length of the vector gives us
the magnitude of the resultant vector as well as its direction.
Laws Of Motion: Aristotle's Fallacy
You witness many objects under motion every day. There are other objects which you set into motion.
Let us say that you set a toy car or a spinning top in motion on the floor. What do you observe? After
spinning or moving for some time, the toy as well as the car come to rest, don’t they? This gives rise to a
question. Is an external force required to keep a body in uniform motion? In this article, we will find an
answer to these questions and learn about Aristotle’s Fallacy in the process.

Aristotle’s Fallacy
Coming back to the example quoted above, we talk about the toy car which has to be dragged as
long as we want it to be in motion. Once you leave the string loose, the car comes to rest.
Similarly, you roll a ball on the floor. It eventually slows down and then comes to rest. If you
want the car or the ball to move again, you need to pull the string or roll the ball again. In other
words, you need to apply force on them.
So Aristotle made observations from practical experiences and came to the conclusion that an
external force is required to keep a body in uniform motion. This is known as Aristotle’s fallacy.
Is an external force required to keep a body in uniform motion?
The simple and sweet answer would be NO. But let us discuss the reason behind calling
Aristotle’s observation a fallacy.
We know that a moving toy car comes to rest. But the actual reason behind it is the presence of
the frictional force that the car experiences due to its contact with the floor. It is friction that
opposes its motion and eventually brings it to rest. So now when you apply the force in the
direction of the motion of the car, you basically overcome or counter the frictional force in order
to set the car into motion again.
It is interesting to note that, had there not been any frictional force, there was no force required to
keep the car moving. This implies that in the absence of an external opposing force, a body in
motion will be in uniform motion forever. Aristotle failed to understand this and set his argument
on the basis of the practical experiences only. This is why it is called Aristotle’s fallacy.
However, in the natural world, opposing forces are always present. Hence, we do need
an external force to overcome them.
Law Of Inertia - Kinematics
In the world of Physics, Sir Isaac Newton is the man who pioneered classical physics with his
laws of motion. In these laws, the first law is also known as the Law of Inertia. Law of inertia is
the most important and renowned one. In this piece of article, let us discuss the first law of
inertia in detail.
Before discussing the law of inertia, let us know the Inertia Definition. Inertia is defined as a
property of matter by which it remains at the state of rest or in uniform motion in the same
straight line unless acted upon by some external force.
Meanwhile, if you are interested to know the great discoveries made by scientists throughout
history, you can click here.
What is the Law of Inertia?
Law of inertia,  also known as Newton’s first law of motion states that
An object will continue to be in the state of rest or in a state of motion unless an external force acts on it.
We have read about the Aristotle fallacy, as per which an external force is always required to
keep a body in motion. This was proved wrong when the concept of inertia came into the picture.
With the following two experiments, Galileo established the concept of inertia.
Galileo’s Free Fall Experiment
The most accepted theory of motion in Western philosophy, prior to the Renaissance, was the
Aristotelian theory which stated that “In the absence of external power, all objects would come
to rest that moving objects only continue to move so long as there is a power inducing them to do
so. ” Despite its general acceptance, the Aristotelian theory was discredited by several notable
philosophers. Later, Galileo refined the theory of inertia.
How did Galileo Explain Inertia?
Galileo hypothesized that a falling object gains an equal amount of velocity in equal intervals of
time. This also means that the speed increases at a constant rate as it falls. But, there was a
problem in testing this hypothesis: it was impossible for Galileo to observe the object’s free-
falling motion and at the time, technology was unable to record such high speeds. As a result,
Galileo attempted to decelerate its motion by replacing the falling object with a ball rolling down
an inclined plane. Since free-falling is basically equivalent to a completely vertical ramp, he
assumed that a ball rolling down a ramp would speed up in the exact same way as a falling ball
would.
Using a water clock, Galileo measured the time it took for the rolling ball to reach a known
distance down the inclined plane. After several trials, it was observed that the time it took for the
ball to roll the entire length of the ramp was equal to double the amount of time it took for the
same ball to only roll a quarter of the distance. In short, if you were to double the amount of
distance the ball traveled, it would travel four times as far. Through this experiment, Galileo
concluded that
If an object is released from rest and gains speed at a steady rate (as it would in free-fall or when rolling down an inclined
plane), then the total distance, s, traveled by the object is proportional to the time squared needed for that travel.
Mathematically, this is expressed as
s∝t2s∝t2
Experiment

Galileo used two inclined planes, as shown in the figure, and made the ball roll down the first
plane and climb up the other. He concluded that, if the planes are smooth, the final height
achieved by the ball is nearly the same as the height through which it rolls from the first plane. In
the second experiment, the slope of the second inclined plane was decreased and the ball was
made to roll again. Here, the ball still reaches the same height, and in doing so, it travels a longer
distance. According to the observation, when the slope of the second plane was decreased to
zero, that is, the plane was made horizontal, the ball was supposed to travel an infinite distance,
that is the motion never ceases. Although due to the opposing friction of the plane, the object
does come to rest after a finite distance but under ideal conditions, when there is no friction, the
ball would continue to move with constant velocity on the horizontal plane. With this conclusion,
the statements of Aristotle were proved wrong. He concluded that it was incorrect to assume that
a net force was needed to keep a body in uniform motion and the state of rest and state of
uniform motion as equivalent.
Interested to learn more about other related topics? Below are the links:

 Newton’s Laws of Motion

 Moment of Inertia

What are the 3 Types of Inertia?

Following are the three types of inertia:
Inertia of Rest Inertia of Direction Inertia of Motion

When the resistance is offered by When the resistance is offered by the When the resistance is offered by
the body to continue in the state body to continue the motion in the the body to continue to be in the
of rest unless an external force same direction unless an external uniform motion unless an external
acts on it. force acts on it. force acts on it.

What are the Examples of Law of Inertia?

 Sudden start of the lift.

 The tendency of moving back when the stationary bus starts to move

Law of Conservation of Momentum Derivation

The law of conservation of momentum is one of the most prominent laws in physics. The
principle of conservation of momentum law tells us that the total momentum of a system is
always conserved.

Momentum Conservation Principle

Law of conservation of momentum states that
For two or more bodies in an isolated system acting upon each other, their total momentum remains constant unless an
external force is applied. Therefore, momentum can neither be created nor destroyed.
The principle of conservation of momentum is a direct consequence of Newton’s third law of
motion.
Read More: Conservation of Momentum

Derivation of Conservation of Momentum

Newton’s third law states that for a force applied by an object A on object B, object B exerts
back an equal force in magnitude, but opposite in direction. This idea was used by Newton to
derive the law of conservation of momentum.
Consider two colliding particles A and B whose masses are m  and m  with initial and final
1 2

velocities as u  and v  of A and u  and v  of B. The time of contact between two particles is given
1 1 2 2

as t.
A=m1(v1−u1)A=m1(v1−u1) (change in momentum of particle A)

B=m2(v2−u2)B=m2(v2−u2) (change in momentum of particle B)

FBA=−FABFBA=−FAB (from third law of motion)

FBA=m2∗a2=m2(v2−u2)tFBA=m2∗a2=m2(v2−u2)t
FAB=m1∗a1=m1(v1−u1)tFAB=m1∗a1=m1(v1−u1)t

m2(v2−u2)t=−m1(v1−u1)tm2(v2−u2)t=−m1(v1−u1)t

m1u1+m2u2=m1v1+m2v2m1u1+m2u2=m1v1+m2v2

Therefore, above is the equation of law of conservation of momentum

where m1u1+m2u2m1u1+m2u2 is the representation of total momentum of particles A and B before the
collision and m1v1+m2v2m1v1+m2v2 is the representation of total momentum of particles A and B
after the collision.
Related Articles:

 Law of Conservation of Energy

 Law Of Conservation Of Angular Momentum

Law of Conservation of Momentum Examples

Following are the examples of law of conversation of momentum:

 Air-filled balloons
 System of gun and bullet
 Motion of rockets

Law of Conservation of Momentum Problems

Q1. There are cars with masses 4 kg and 10 kg respectively that are at rest. A car having
the mass 10 kg moves towards the east with a velocity of 5 m.s . Find the velocity of the car
-1

with mass 4 kg with respect to ground.

Ans: Given,
m  = 4 kg
1

m  = 10 kg
2

v  = ?
1

v  = 5 m.s
2
-1

We know from the law of conservation of momentum that,

P  = 0, as the cars are at rest
initial

P  = p  + p
final 1 2

P  = m .v  + m .v
final 1 1 2 2

= 4 kg.v  + 10 kg.5 m.s 1
-1

P  = P
i f

0=4 kg.v +50 kg.m.s 1
-1

v  = 12.5 m.s
1
-1
Q2. Find the velocity of bullet of mass 5 gram which is fired from a pistol of mass 1.5 kg.
The recoil velocity of pistol is 1.5 m.s . -1

Ans: Given,
Mass of bullet, m  = 5 gram = 0.005 kg 1

Mass of pistol, m  = 1.5 kg 2

The velocity of a bullet, v  = ? 1

Recoil velocity of pistol, v  = 1.5 m.s 2

-1

Using law of conservation of momentum,

m u  + m u  = m v  + m v
1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2

Here, Initial velocity of the bullet, u  = 0 1

Initial recoil velocity of a pistol, u  = 0 2

∴ (0.005 kg)(0) + (1.5 kg)(0) = (0.005 kg)(v ) + (1.5 kg)(1.5 m.s ) 1

-1

0 = (0.005 kg)(v )+(2.25 kg.m.s ) 1
-1

v =-450 m.s
1
-1

Hence, the recoil velocity of pistol is 450 m.s . -1

Normal Force Formula

In physics, various kinds of forces exist. One of them is the normal force. The normal force is
defined as the force that any surface exerts on any other object. If that object is at rest, then the net
force acting on the object is equal to zero. It is a fact that the downward force i.e. weight must be
equal to the upward force i.e. the normal force. In this article, we will discuss the concept of Normal
force and normal force formula with example. Let us learn the concepts.

                                                                                                                                             Source:  en.wikipedia.org

Normal Force Formula

Concept of Normal Force:

The normal force is thoroughly defined as the force component vertical to any contact surface. It
also decides the amount of force which the body applies on the ground.

The normal force will be equivalent to the weight of the object only if the object is not accelerating
i.e. decelerating. When an object is about to fall, then it will depend on which position the object
falls on the ground. It is denoted by FN and is given in newton (N).

The formula for normal force:

 For a body resting on a given flat surface, then the normal force FN is equal to the weight,
FN=mg
Where,

FN Normal Force

m Mass

g Acceleration due to gravity

 If a force acts on a dropping body that falls at an angle of \Theta, the normal force is greater than
the weight computed as,
FN=mg+Fsinθ
Where,

FN Normal Force

M Mass

G Acceleration due to gravity

θ Angle with which body falls

 
 If a force acts on the body in the upward direction, then the normal force is less than its weight
and is given by,
FN=mg–Fsinθ
Where,

FN Normal Force

M Mass

G Acceleration due to gravity

θ Angle with which body falls

 For the body placed on a plane which is inclined at an angle θ the normal force FN is given by,
FN=mgcosθ
Where,

FN Normal Force

M Mass

G Acceleration due to gravity

θ Angle with which body falls

Solved Examples
Q.1: The body drops down with a force of 300 N. If the mass of the object is 20 kg at an angle of
30\degree. Then compute the normal force being applied to the body.

Answer:

Known parameters are:

Mass, m = 20 kg,
Force, F = 300 N,

Angle θ=30°
Sin 30°=12
The normal force formula is articulated as,

FN=mg+Fsinθ
FN=20×9.8+300×sin30
FN=196+150
FN=246N.
Thus, the normal force is applied to the body is 246 N.

Q.2: A book of mass 2 kg is lying on the floor. Calculate the normal force being applied to the book.

Answer:

Known values:

m = 2 kg,

g = 9.8ms−2
The normal force is computed as,

FN=mg
Substituting the values, we get

FN=2×9.8
FN=19.6N
Thus, the normal force is applied to the book is 19.6 N.

Laws of motion
While Newton’s laws of motion may seem obvious to us today, they were considered revolutionary centuries ago. The three laws of motion help us
understand how objects behave when standing still, when moving and when forces act upon them. This article describes Sir Newton’s three laws and a
summary of what they mean.

Newton’s First Law of Motion

Newton’s first law of motion implies that things cannot start, stop, or change direction all by themselves, and it requires some force from the outside to
cause such a change. This property of massive bodies to resist changes in their state of motion is called inertia. The first law of motion is also known
as the law of inertia.

Newton’s 1st law states that a body at rest or uniform motion will continue to be at rest or uniform motion until and
unless a net external force acts on it.

The crucial point here is that if there is no net force resulting from unbalanced forces acting on an object, the object will maintain a constant velocity. If
that velocity is zero, then the object remains at rest. And if an additional external force is applied, the velocity will change because of the force.

Newton’s Second Law of Motion

Newton’s second law of motion describes what happens to the massive body when acted upon by an external force. The second law of motion states
that the force acting on the body is equal to the product of its mass and acceleration.

Newton’s 2nd law states that the acceleration of an object as produced by a net force is directly proportional to the
magnitude of the net force, in the same direction as the net force, and inversely proportional to the object’s mass.

Newton’s second law describes precisely how much an object will accelerate for a given net force.

Mathematically, we express the second law of motion as follows:

 f∝dPdt⇒f∝mv−mut⇒f∝m(v−u)t⇒f∝ma⇒f=kmaf∝dPdt⇒f∝mv−mut⇒f∝m(v−u)t⇒f∝ma⇒f=kma
In the equation, k is the constant of proportionality, and it is equal to 1 when the values are taken in the SI unit. Hence, the final expression
will be,

F=maF=ma

Third Law of Motion

Newton’s third law of motion describes what happens to the body when it exerts a force on another body.

Newton’s 3rd law states that there is an equal and opposite reaction for every action.

When two bodies interact, they apply forces on each other that are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. To understand Newton’s third law with
the help of an example, let us consider a book resting on a table. The book applies a downward force equal to its weight on the table. According to the
third law of motion, the table applies an equal and opposite force to the book. This force occurs because the book slightly deforms the table; as a
result, the table pushes back on the book like a coiled spring. Newton’s third law of motion implies the conservation of momentum.

Read More: Newton’s Third Law of Motion

Laws of Motion Questions

1) While driving to work, Naveen keeps his purse in the passenger seat, and by
the time he gets to work, his wallet would have fallen on the floor in front of the
passenger seat. One day, he asks you to explain why this happens in terms of
physics. What do you say?
We can explain this to Naveen in terms of Newton’s first law of motion. The purse, due
to inertia, travels forward with the car until acted upon by another force, in this case, the
force of the car floor.
2) Which of Newton’s laws best explains how a magician can pull a tablecloth
from underneath dishes?
>Newton’s first law of motion can explain how a magician pulls a tablecloth from
underneath the dishes. A negligible horizontal force is applied during the process. As
per Newton’s first law of motion, the dishes and glasses remain in their state of motion
(rest); as a result, they remain undisturbed. The table cloth in the trick is made so
slippery that it doesn’t apply any frictional force on glasses and dishes.
Laws of Motion Numericals
1. Suppose a bike with a rider on it having a total mass of 63 kg brakes and reduces
its velocity from 8.5 m/s to 0 m/s in 3.0 second. What is the magnitude of the
braking force?
Solution:
The combined mass of the rider and the bike = 63 kg
Initial Velocity = 8.5 m/s
Final Velocity = 0 m/s
The time in which the bike stops = 3 s
The net force acting on the body equals the rate of change of an object’s
momentum.
F=ΔpΔtF=ΔpΔt

The momentum of a body with mass m and velocity v is given by  p = mv

Hence, the change in momentum of the car is given by
Δp=mv−mu=m(v−u)Δp=mv−mu=m(v−u)

Hence, the net force acting on the car is given by 

F=m(v−u)ΔtF=m(v−u)Δt

Substituting the value, we get

F=63kg×(0−8.5m/s)3.0s=1.8×102NF=63kg×(0−8.5m/s)3.0s=1.8×102N

F=1.8×102NF=1.8×102N

2. Calculate the net force required to give an automobile of mass 1600 kg an acceleration of 4.5
m/s2
We calculate the force using the following formula.
F=maF=ma

Substituting the values in the equation, we get

F=100kg×4.5m/s2=7200NF=100kg×4.5m/s2=7200N

F=7200NF=7200N

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Who discovered the three laws of motion?
Sir Isaac Newton discovered the three laws of motion.
Why are the laws of motion important?
Newton’s laws are essential because they relate to everything that we do or see in
everyday life. These laws tell us how things move or stay still, why we don’t float out of
our bed or fall through the floor of our house.
What is Newton’s laws of motion all about?
Newton’s laws of motion imply the relationship between an object’s motion and the
forces acting on it. In the first law, we understand that an object will not change its
motion unless a force acts on it. The second law states that the force on an object is
equal to its mass times its acceleration. And, finally, the third law states that there is an
equal and opposite reaction for every action.
 What is the difference between Newton’s laws of motion and Kepler’s laws of motion?
Newton’s laws of motion are general and apply to any motion, while Kepler’s laws apply
only to planetary motion in the solar system.
What are some daily life examples of Newton’s 1st, 2nd and 3rd laws of motion?

 The motion of a ball falling through the atmosphere or a model rocket being
launched up into the atmosphere are both excellent examples of Newton’s 1st
law.
 Riding a bicycle is an excellent example of Newton’s 2nd law. In this example,
the bicycle is the mass. The leg muscles pushing on the pedals of the bicycle is
the force. You hit a wall with a certain amount of force, and the wall returns that
same amount of force. This is an example of Newton’s 3rd law.

Equilibrium and Statics

 Addition of Forces
 Resolution of Forces
 Equilibrium and Statics
 Net Force Problems Revisited
 Inclined Planes
 Two-Body Problems

When all the forces that act upon an object are balanced, then the object is said to be
in a state of equilibrium. The forces are considered to be balanced if the rightward
forces are balanced by the leftward forces and the upward forces are balanced by the
downward forces. This however does not necessarily mean that all the forces
are equal to each other. Consider the two objects pictured in the force diagram shown
below. Note that the two objects are at equilibrium because the forces that act upon
them are balanced; however, the individual forces are not equal to each other. The 50
N force is not equal to the 30 N force.
 

If an object is at equilibrium, then the forces are balanced. Balanced is the key word that is used to describe
equilibrium situations. Thus, the net force is zero and the acceleration is 0 m/s/s. Objects at equilibrium must have
an acceleration of 0 m/s/s. This extends from Newton's first law of motion. But having an acceleration of 0 m/s/s
does not mean the object is at rest. An object at equilibrium is either ...
 at rest and staying at rest, or
 in motion and continuing in motion with the same speed and direction.
This too extends from Newton's first law of motion.

Analyzing a Static Equilibrium Situation

If an object is at rest and is in a state of equilibrium, then we would say
that the object is at "static equilibrium." "Static" means stationary or at
rest. A common physics lab is to hang an object by two or more strings and
to measure the forces that are exerted at angles upon the object to
support its weight. The state of the object is analyzed in terms of the
forces acting upon the object. The object is a point on a string upon which
three forces were acting. See diagram at right. If the object is at
equilibrium, then the net force acting upon the object should be 0 Newton.
Thus, if all the forces are added together as vectors, then
the resultant force (the vector sum) should be 0 Newton. (Recall that
the net force is "the vector sum of all the forces" or the resultant of adding
all the individual forces head-to-tail.) Thus, an accurately drawn vector addition diagram can be constructed to
determine the resultant. Sample data for such a lab are shown below.
 
 

  Force A Force B Force C

Magnitude 3.4 N 9.2 N 9.8 N

Direction 161 deg. 70 deg. 270 deg

For most students, the resultant was 0 Newton (or at least very close to 0 N). This is what we expected - since the
object was at equilibrium, the net force (vector sum of all the forces) should be 0 N.
  

Another way of determining the net force (vector sum of all the forces) involves using the trigonometric functions to
resolve each force into its horizontal and vertical components. Once the components are known, they can be
compared to see if the vertical forces are balanced and if the horizontal forces are balanced. The diagram below
shows vectors A, B, and C and their respective components. For vectors A and B, the vertical components can be
determined using the sine of the angle and the horizontal components can be analyzed using the cosine of the angle.
The magnitude and direction of each component for the sample data are shown in the table below the diagram.
 
The data in the table above show that the forces nearly balance. An analysis of the horizontal components shows
that the leftward component of A nearly balances the rightward component of B. An analysis of the vertical
components show that the sum of the upward components of A + B nearly balance the downward component of C.
The vector sum of all the forces is (nearly) equal to 0 Newton. But what about the 0.1 N difference between
rightward and leftward forces and the 0.2 N difference between the upward and downward forces? Why do the
components of force only nearly balance? The sample data used in this analysis are the result of measured data from
an actual experimental setup. The difference between the actual results and the expected results is due to the error
incurred when measuring force A and force B. We would have to conclude that this low margin of experimental error
reflects an experiment with excellent results. We could say it's "close enough for government work."
 

Analyzing a Hanging Sign

The above analysis of the forces acting upon an object in equilibrium is
commonly used to analyze situations involving objects at static equilibrium. The
most common application involves the analysis of the forces acting upon a sign
that is at rest. For example, consider the picture at the right that hangs on a
wall. The picture is in a state of equilibrium, and thus all the forces acting upon
the picture must be balanced. That is, all horizontal components must add to 0
Newton and all vertical components must add to 0 Newton. The leftward pull of
cable A must balance the rightward pull of cable B and the sum of the upward
pull of cable A and cable B must balance the weight of the sign.
Suppose the tension in both of the cables is measured to be 50 N and that the
angle that each cable makes with the horizontal is known to be 30 degrees.
What is the weight of the sign? This question can be answered by conducting
a force analysis using trigonometric functions. The weight of the sign is equal to
the sum of the upward components of the tension in the two cables. Thus, a trigonometric function can be used to
determine this vertical component. A diagram and accompanying work is shown below.
 
  

Since each cable pulls upwards with a force of 25 N, the total upward pull of the sign is 50 N. Therefore, the force of
gravity (also known as weight) is 50 N, down. The sign weighs 50 N.

 
In the above problem, the tension in the cable and the angle that the cable makes with the horizontal are used to
determine the weight of the sign. The idea is that the tension, the angle, and the weight are related. If the any two
of these three are known, then the third quantity can be determined using trigonometric functions.
As another example that illustrates this idea, consider the symmetrical hanging of
a sign as shown at the right. If the sign is known to have a mass of 5 kg and if
the angle between the two cables is 100 degrees, then the tension in the cable
can be determined. Assuming that the sign is at equilibrium (a good assumption if
it is remaining at rest), the two cables must supply enough upward force to
balance the downward force of gravity. The force of gravity (also known as
weight) is 49 N (Fgrav = m*g), so each of the two cables must pull upwards with
24.5 N of force. Since the angle between the cables is 100 degrees, then each
cable must make a 50-degree angle with the vertical and a 40-degree angle with the horizontal. A sketch of this
situation (see diagram below) reveals that the tension in the cable can be found using the sine function. The triangle
below illustrates these relationships.

Thinking Conceptually
There is an important principle that emanates from some of the trigonometric calculations performed above. The
principle is that as the angle with the horizontal increases, the amount of tensional force required to hold the sign at
equilibrium decreases. To illustrate this, consider a 10-Newton picture held by three different wire orientations as
shown in the diagrams below. In each case, two wires are used to support the picture; each wire must support one-
half of the sign's weight (5 N). The angle that the wires make with the horizontal is varied from 60 degrees to 15
degrees. Use this information and the diagram below to determine the tension in the wire for each orientation. When
finished, click the button to view the answers.

 
In conclusion, equilibrium is the state of an object in which all the forces acting upon it are balanced. In such cases,
the net force is 0 Newton. Knowing the forces acting upon an object, trigonometric functions can be utilized to
determine the horizontal and vertical components of each force. If at equilibrium, then all the vertical components
must balance and all the horizontal components must balance.

  

Check Your Understanding

The following questions are meant to test your understanding of equilibrium situations. Click the button to view the
answers to these questions.
1. The following picture is hanging on a wall. Use trigonometric functions to determine the weight of the picture.

 2. The sign below hangs outside the physics classroom, advertising the most important truth to be found inside. The
sign is supported by a diagonal cable and a rigid horizontal bar. If the sign has a mass of 50 kg, then determine the
tension in the diagonal cable that supports its weight.
 
 3. The following sign can be found in Glenview. The sign has a mass of 50 kg. Determine the tension in the cables.

4. After its most recent delivery, the infamous stork announces the good news. If the sign has a mass of 10 kg, then
what is the tensional force in each cable? Use trigonometric functions and a sketch to assist in the solution.
 

5. Suppose that a student pulls with two large forces (F1 and F2) in order to lift a 1-kg book by two cables. If the
cables make a 1-degree angle with the horizontal, then what is the tension in the cable?

Vectors
Kinematics

Projectile Motion
Work, Power and Energy