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ST ALOYSIUS GONZAGA
SCHOOL
PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT
TOPIC: PARALLELOGRAM LAW OF VECTOR
ADDITION
BATCH: 2022-23

SUBMITTED TO: MS. SHRUTHI KISHOR

SUBMITTED BY: CARL PINTO
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CERTIFICATE
St Aloysius Gonzaga School

This is to certify that this “Physics

Investigatory Project” on the topic
“Parallelogram law of vector addition”
has been successfully completed by
CARL PINTO of class XI under the
guidance of Ms Shruthi S in particular
fulfilment of the curriculum of Central
Board of Secondary education (CBSE)
leading to the award of annual
examination of the year 2022-23.

PRINCIPAL TEACHER IN-CHARGE

DECLARATION
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I hereby declare that the Project work

entitled “Parallelogram law of vector
addition”, submitted to “St Aloysius
Gonzaga School”, is a record of original
work done by me except of the experiments,
which are duly acknowledged, under the
guidance of my subject teacher “Ms Shruthi
Kishor”.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I, CARL PINTO of standard XI, am glad to

present my Physics Investigatory Project on
the topic Newton’s law of cooling.
I would like to express my thanks to
Principal Fr. Melwyn Anil Lobo SJ., for
providing me with all the required facilities.
I am also grateful to my parents, teachers
and friends for their assistance in
completing this project in such short period
of time.
I would also like to thank my classmates
for their helpful instructions and
suggestions.
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S. No Contents Page
number
1. ABSTRACT 5

2. AIM 5

3. APPARATUS USED 5

4. PRINCIPLE 5

5. FORMULAS USED 5

6. DIAGRAM 6

7. PROCEDURE 7

8. OBSERVATIONS 8

9. CALCULATIONS 8

10. RESULT 9

11. BIBLIOGRAPHY 10

INDEX
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ABSTRACT:
If two vectors acting simultaneously at a point can be represented
both in magnitude and direction by the adjacent sides of a
parallelogram drawn from a point, then the resultant vector is
represented both in magnitude and direction by the diagonal of
the parallelogram passing through that point.

AIM:
Measurement of the weight of a given body using the
parallelogram law of vector addition.

APPARATUS USED:
The given body with hook, the parallelogram law of vector
apparatus (Grave sand’s apparatus), strong thread, slotted
weights (two sets), white paper, and sharp pencil.

PRINCIPLE:
Working of this apparatus is based on the parallelogram law of
vector addition. The law states that “when two forces act
simultaneously at a point and are represented in magnitude and
direction by the two adjacent sides of a parallelogram, then the
resultant of forces can be represented both in magnitude and
direction by the diagonal of the parallelogram passing through
the point of application of the two forces.

FORMULAS USED:
Unknown Weight, R = Scale (S) x length of the diagonal (OC) of
the parallelogram.

DIAGRAM:
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Grave sand’s
apparatus
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PROCEDURE:
1. The board of Grave sand’s apparatus is set in vertical
position. (Ensure that the pulleys are moving
smoothly).
2. A sheet of white paper is fixed on the wooden board
with drawing pins.
3. A sufficiently long piece of string is taken and two
hangers are tied at its ends. Another shorter string is
tied in the middle of the first string to make a knot at
‘O’. The body of unknown weight is tied at the other
end of the string.
4. The strings are arranged on the pulley as shown in
the figure.
5. The weights are added to the hangers such that the
junction of the threads is in equilibrium in the lower
half of the paper.
6. The point where the knot comes to rest is taken as the
position of no-friction, and this point is marked.
7. To mark the direction of the force acting along a string
is marked on the sheet of paper kept below it.
8. Choosing a suitable scale, (say 0.05 kg wt = 1 cm) the
forces P and Q are represented. Using square sets, the
parallelogram is completed.
9. The points O and C are joined. The length of OC gives
the weight of the given body.
10. The steps 1-8 are repeated by suspending two
different sets of weights and the mean value of the
unknown weight is determined.
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OBSERVATIONS:
Forces (g wt) Lengths Length, L Unknown
Tria (cm) (cm) weight
l
P Q OA OB OC R=L x S
(kg wt)
1. 200 200 4 4 6.5 0.325

Scale (S); 1 cm = 50 g wt

CALCULATIONS:
R = L x S = 6.5 x 50
=0.325 kg wt

Value of unknown weight, R = 325 x 10-3 x 9.8

= 0.325 x 9.8 = 3.136N
= 3.185N

RESULT:
The unknown weight of given body is found to
be = 3.185N

BIBILIOGRAPHY:
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1. Abstract:https://www.mathstopia.net/
vectors/parallelogram-law-vector-addition

2. School logo:https://www.aimit.edu.in/wp-
content/uploads/2022/10/cropped-aimit-
favicon.png

3. Figure:https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/
images?
q=tbn:ANd9GcSEhIPbSnSSHPBmuVE41Lp5eyO
hLuyzhIAKuA&usqp=CAU