Forces at Equilibrium

Cebu Doctors’ University
College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Physical Sciences
Applied Physics
Group: _Kerry Joyag, Xavier Lao, Aldynnah Martin_ Score: ___________

Course and Year: __BS Biology 2B________________________________ Date: _3/8/24_
Worksheet (Forces at Equilibrium) Using Phet Simulation
This activity consists of two Parts:

Part one: Two forces acting on a ring using force table.
Part two: Three forces acting on a ring using force table.
To be familiar with vectors, magnitude, direction and vectors components, vectors addition by graphical
and analytical methods using Phet simulation kindly, open the following link and play with it.
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/vector-addition/latest/vector-addition_en.html
Objectives:
In this experiment, you should learn the definition of a vector, and how to represent it in space. In addition,
you should learn how to apply the rules for vectors addition both graphically and analytically.
Apparatus:
Force table with three to four pulleys, mass hangers, slotted masses, string, protractor, ruler, and sheets of
graphic papers.
The resultant force (FR) of two Forces as an example F1 & F2 can be found by one of two methods:
analytical or graphical method.
In the analytical method, each vector (Force) such as (F) which makes an angle (θ) with horizontal +x-axis
is first resolved into two components. Those components are horizontal or x-component (Fx) and vertical or
y-component (Fy). Those components are given by:
1
Applied Physics

Fx = F cos  , Fy = F sin 

Consider the case of three vectors (Forces) F1, F2, F3,
FRx = F1x + F2x + F3x
FRy = F1y + F2y + F3y
The magnitude of the resultant vector (FR) is found using the following formula, because the components Rx
and Ry are at right angles:
2
|𝑅| = √(𝑅𝑥 )2 + (𝑅𝑦 )
and the angle 𝜃that the resultant makes with +x- axis is given by :
𝑅𝑦
𝜃 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 ( )
𝑅𝑥
In the graphical addition method. The resultant vector is the vector drawn from the tail of the first vector to
the head of the last vector. The polygon method is illustrated for the case of three vectors as follows:


  
To verify the objectives experimentaly we will use phet similation software and we will act on an object by
two forces and then three forces, then we will find their resultant by finding practicaly the equilibrant force
(FE). So, FE is the equilibrant force that must be applied in order to keep an object in equilibrium. The
magnitude and direction of this FE can be found by trial and error experimentally. The resultant force FR
can be found from knowledge that FR and FE have the same magnitude but opposite direction.
2
Applied Physics

Part one: Two forces acting on a ring using force table.
Use F1 as vecror d and F2 as vector e on phet simulation. And the circle in the middle thi sis the ring on the
force table that you going to act on it by different forces.
Procedure :
Resultant of two vectors (forces)
Follow the link above, and open explore 2D screen, click on poler representation of the vector (the
pink vector on the simulation) and now do the following steps.
a) Fix the first vector (F1) on 20o angle and fix its magnitude to be 10N. (vector d)
b) The second vector (F2), fix it on 90o angle and control its value to be 8N. (vector e)
c) Use vector f as a third force (FE) acting on the ring, click on the sum option on the simulation screen
to show you the sum of the three forces F1, F2 and FE.
d) Use trial and error method to
control vector f (FE) in magnitude
and direction where the resultant
force vector must be close to zero.
Stop changing vector f (FE) and
then fill your findings below.
FE=…15…
E=…-130…
e) Find the resultant force FR
(magnitude and direction)
FRexp.=…14.77… S is the sum of the
Rexp.=…50.19…
three forces F1, F2 and
FE (d, e and f)
S is almost zero
x-y components
button
3
Applied Physics

Data Analysis part one:

1) Using Phet simulation click on the x-y components button shown above and then click on each vector
shown on the graph paper to display the vectors’ components F1x, F2x, F1y, F2y, then record your values in
table 1.
2) Use the analytical method to find FR (of the two forces F1 and F2) magnitude and direction. Record your
values in table 1.
3) Calculate the percentage error of the magnitude of the experimental value of FRexp. compared to
analytical solution for FR.
Percentage Error = (14.77-15)/15 x 100%
=0.23/15 x 100%
≈(0.0153)×100%
≈1.53%
4) Using phet simulation, move vector e and put it on head vector d (as you know head to tail method) and
then find the resultant force (FR) of the two vectors d and e graphically. (Attach a screen shot of the
graphical method)
FR=……… R=……… (Graphically)
4
Applied Physics

5) Calculate the percentage error of the magnitude of the graphical solution for FR compared to analytical
solution for FR
Percentage Error = (15.0-14.79)/14.79 x 100%
=0.21/11.79 x 100%
≈(0.0142)×100%
≈1.42%
Table 1
Analytical solution
Force Force (N) Direction x-component y-component

F1 20o 9.4 3.4
F2 90o 0.0 8.0
FR 14.79 N 50.54 o 9.40 11.42
FR=……… R=………(analytically)
5
Applied Physics

Part two: Three forces acting on a ring using force table.
Resultant of three vectors :

Follw the link above, and open explore 2D screen, click on poler representation of the vector (the pink
vector on the simulation) and now do the following steps.
a) The first vector (F1), fix it at approximetly 300. and control it’s value to be 6N. (vector d)
b) The second vector ( F2), fix it at 100o angle and control it’s value to be 8 N. (vector e)
c) The third vector ( F3) , fix it at 145o angle and control it’s value to be 11 N. (vector f)
d) Find the resultant force of these three forces using Phet simulation FR. record your values below.
Just click on the sum button and then you will get the magnetude and the direction of the resultant
vector of the three forces.
FRexp.=…18.0…
Rexp.=…106.8…
e) Write down the value of FE and its

direction.
FE=…18.0…
E=…-73…
Data Analysis part two:

1) Using Phet simulation click on the x-y components button shown above and then click on each vector
shown on the graph paper to display the vectors’ components F1x, F2x, F1y, F2y, F3x, F3y, then record your
values in table 2.
2) Use the analytical method to find FR (of the three forces F1, F2 and F3) magnitude and direction. Record
your values in table 2.
6
Applied Physics

3) Calculate the percentage error of the magnitude of the experimental value of FRexp. compared to
analytical solution for FR.
Percentage Error =(18.0-18.0)/18.0 ×100%
=(0/18.0)×100%
=0%
4) Using phet simulation, move vector e and put it on head vector d then move f put it on head e (as you
know head to tail method) and then find the resultant force (FR) of the three vectors d and e and f
graphically. (Attach a screen shot of the graphical method)
FR=……… R=……… (Graphically)
5) Calculate the percentage error of the magnitude of the graphical solution for FR compared to analytical
solution for FR
Percentage Error=(18.0-22.9)/22.9 ×100%
=(4.99/22.99)×100
≈(0.2171)×100%
≈21.71%
7
Applied Physics

Table 2
Analytical solution
Force Force ( N ) Direction x-component y-component
F1 6 30o 5.20 3
F2 8 100o -1.39 7.88
F3 11 145o -9.01 6.31
FR 22.99 N -75.93 o -5.59 22.3
FR=……… R=………(analytically)
8
Applied Physics

Questions:
1) What is the difference between vector and scalar quantity?

- The difference between vector and scalar quantity is that scalar only has magnitude but vector has
both magnitude and direction.
2) Classify each of the following physical quantities as vector or scalar:

a) Volume: Scalar b) Force: Velocity c) density: Scalar
d) Velocity: Velocity e) distance: Scalar f) acceleration: Velocity
g) Mass: Scalar h) speed: Scalar i) weight: Velocity
3) What are the conditions of equilibrium for given forces?

- The condition of equilibrium is when the resultant force acting on the object is zero and the sum of
the torque acting on an object also must equal zero.
4) What are the conditions for the two vectors to be equal?

- Two vectors will be considered equal only if both vectors have equal magnitude and same direction.
5) Two forces, one of 2 N and the other of magnitude 3 N applied to the ring of a force table. The
direction of both forces is unknown. Which best describes the limitations on, the magnitude of the
resultant force
a ) FR  5N b ) 2N  FR  3N c ) FR  3N
d ) 1N  FR  5N e ) FR  2N

Forces at Equilibrium

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Forces at Equilibrium

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Cebu Doctors’ University

College of Arts and Sciences

Group: _Kerry Joyag, Xavier Lao, Aldynnah Martin_ Score: ___________

Worksheet (Forces at Equilibrium) Using Phet Simulation

This activity consists of two Parts:

Group: _Kerry Joyag, Xavier Lao, Aldynnah Martin_ Score: ___________

Group: _Kerry Joyag, Xavier Lao, Aldynnah Martin_ Score: ___________

Part one: Two forces acting on a ring using force table.

FRexp.=…14.77… S is the sum of the

Group: _Kerry Joyag, Xavier Lao, Aldynnah Martin_ Score: ___________

Data Analysis part one:

FR=……… R=……… (Graphically)

Group: _Kerry Joyag, Xavier Lao, Aldynnah Martin_ Score: ___________

Force Force (N) Direction x-component y-component

Group: _Kerry Joyag, Xavier Lao, Aldynnah Martin_ Score: ___________

Part two: Three forces acting on a ring using force table.

Resultant of three vectors :

e) Write down the value of FE and its

Data Analysis part two:

Group: _Kerry Joyag, Xavier Lao, Aldynnah Martin_ Score: ___________

FR=……… R=……… (Graphically)

Group: _Kerry Joyag, Xavier Lao, Aldynnah Martin_ Score: ___________

Group: _Kerry Joyag, Xavier Lao, Aldynnah Martin_ Score: ___________

1) What is the difference between vector and scalar quantity?

2) Classify each of the following physical quantities as vector or scalar:

d) Velocity: Velocity e) distance: Scalar f) acceleration: Velocity

g) Mass: Scalar h) speed: Scalar i) weight: Velocity

3) What are the conditions of equilibrium for given forces?

4) What are the conditions for the two vectors to be equal?

You might also like