NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – DASMARIÑAS

Civil Engineering Department

ENPHYS1L: CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS LABORATORY
3rd Term A.Y. 22-23 | LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 01

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VECTORS: THE RESULTANT OF TWO OR MORE FORCES

Objective:
1. To verify experimentally by the use an instrument and by the use of graphical solutions the laws on
determining analytically the resultant of equilibrant of vectors, particularly concurrent and co-planar
forces.
2. Also, to study the first condition of equilibrium.

Learning Outcomes (LOs) Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

At the end of the activity, the students should be able to: 1 2 3 4
1. Demonstrate resultant and equilibrant vectors of two or
more forces using experimental setup. √
2. Demonstrate two or more concurrent and co-planar
forces. √
3. Solve problems on equilibrium of two or more forces. √ √

Apparatus:

Force table, sets of weights, pans protractor, ruler or scale.

Theory:
For determining the resultant of vectors sum of any number of vectors analytically or graphically, the
polygon method, parallelogram method and components method may be used. In solving analytically, the
resultant of two vectors, only the polygon or parallelogram method may be used. For graphical solution of solving
the resultant, the polygon method however, is more preferred compared to the other methods. In adding 3 or
more vectors analytically, the component method usually gives the easiest solution. For its graphical solution,
however, the polygon method again is preferred. The polygon method then will always be used to determine
graphically the resultant of any number of vectors. For the corresponding analytical solution formulas to be used
are the formulas for the solution of right, oblique or obtuse triangles in the event that the final figure is not a
triangle, then the component method is used. It is assumed that the student is well aware of all the method as
discussed in the lecture.
The first condition for the equilibrium states that as far as linear motion is concerned or as far as
concurrent forces are concerned, there can be no change in motion of body or system unless resultant force acts
upon it. In other words, a body system is in equilibrium if the resultant of all forces acting on it is zero. By this
principle, the equilibrant then of any number of forces is equal to its resultant but only in the opposite direction.

Procedure:
PART 1: TWO FORCES
1. Solve analytically by using polygon and parallelogram method, the resultant of the following vectors
applying Cosine Law or Sine Law.
150 grams due 30° S of E or due S 60° E
250 grams due 15° S of W or due S 75° W

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 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – DASMARIÑAS
Civil Engineering Department
ENPHYS1L: CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS LABORATORY
3rd Term A.Y. 22-23 | LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 01

2. Solve graphically by use of polygon method the resultant of the same vectors using any convenient scale.
Solve also for the corresponding equilibrium.
3. Using the force table, place the corresponding weights mention in procedure 1 in pans attached to strings
passing over pulleys (assuming it is frictionless). Put corresponding weights on a third pan and move this
until the system is stable (the ring where the strings are attached will not touch the metal stick at the
center of the force table). The weights in the third pan will be the Equilibrant of the same forces mentioned
in procedure 1. Make sure to include the weight of the pan to the suspended weights to add up to the
given vectors. The equilibrant will be the magnitude of the resultant. Determine also the position of the
resultant (θ).
4. With the value of the resultant in analytical solution as accepted value, solve for the % error of solving
the resultant for procedure 2 & 3.
5. Draw set up of apparatus and label.

Data and Result:

I. Parallelogram Method
R= grams, due
E= grams, due

II. Polygon Method

R= grams, due
E= grams, due
Error = grams, % Error =

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 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – DASMARIÑAS
Civil Engineering Department
ENPHYS1L: CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS LABORATORY
3rd Term A.Y. 22-23 | LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 01

III. Force Table Method

E= grams, due
R= grams, due
Error = grams, % Error =

Computation:

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 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – DASMARIÑAS
Civil Engineering Department
ENPHYS1L: CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS LABORATORY
3rd Term A.Y. 22-23 | LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 01

PART 2: THREE OR MORE FORCES

1. Solve analytically the resultant and equilibrium of the following vectors using component method:
150 grams due NE
180 grams due N
300 grams due S 30° W
250 grams due 60° S of E
2. Solve graphically by use of polygon method the resultant of the same vectors in procedure 1 using
any convenient scale. Solve also for the corresponding equilibrant.
3. Using force table, place the corresponding weights mentioned in procedure 1 in pans attached to
strings passing over pulleys (assuming it’s frictionless). Put corresponding weights on a six pan and
move this until the system is stable (the ring where the string are attached will not touch the metal
stick at the center of the force table). The weights in the six pans will be the Equilibrant of the same
forces mention in procedure 1. Make sure to include the weight of the pan to the suspended weights
to add up to the given vectors. The equilibrant will be the magnitude of the resultant. Determine also
the position of the resultant (Ꮎ). Solve the corresponding error and percent error using the values of
the resultant obtained in procedure 1 as accepted value.
4. With the value of the resultant obtained in procedure 1 as accepted value, solve for the error and the
% error of the resultant for procedures 2 & 3.
5. Draw the set-up of apparatus and label.

Data and Result:

I. Resultant by Component
R= grams, due
E= grams, due

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 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – DASMARIÑAS
Civil Engineering Department
ENPHYS1L: CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS LABORATORY
3rd Term A.Y. 22-23 | LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 01

II. Resultant by Polygon Method

R= grams, due
E= grams, due
Error = grams, % Error =

III. Resultant by Force Table

E= grams, due
R= grams, due
Error = grams, % Error =
Computation:

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 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – DASMARIÑAS
Civil Engineering Department
ENPHYS1L: CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS LABORATORY
3rd Term A.Y. 22-23 | LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 01

Conclusion:

Questions & Problems:

1. Define the following:
a. Vector

b. Resultant

c. Equilibrant

d. Concurrent Forces

e. Co-planar forces

f. Component method

g. First condition of equilibrium

h. Graphical solution of resultant

i. Force table

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 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – DASMARIÑAS
Civil Engineering Department
ENPHYS1L: CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS LABORATORY
3rd Term A.Y. 22-23 | LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 01

2. Two forces, 80 N and 100 N acting at an angle of 60˚ with each other pull on an object.
a. What single force will replace the two forces?
b. What single force (called the equilibrant) would balance the two forces? Solve algebraically.

3. Four forces act on a point 150 gm SE, 300 gm due S 60˚ W. 280 gm due W and 180 gm 60˚ S of E.
a. What single force will replace the four forces?
b. What single force (called the equilibrant) would balance these forces? Solve algebraically.

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