PHYS182: Physics for Engineers - Laboratory FINDING THE RESULTANT VECTOR

DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS, AND CHEMISTRY

PHYS182: PHYSICS FOR ENGINEERS - LABORATORY

Experiment No. 1
FINDING THE RESULTANT VECTOR

NAME: _______________________________ DATE:_______________________

COURSE, YEAR & SECTION: ___________ INSTRUCTOR: _______________

Objective
To determine the sum (resultant) of vectors

Theory
Vector, in Physics, a quantity that has both magnitude and direction. It is typically represented by an
arrow whose direction is the same as that of the quantity and whose length is proportional to the
quantity’s magnitude. Although a vector has magnitude and direction, it does not have position. That
is, as long as its length is not changed, a vector is not altered if it is displaced parallel to itself.
To qualify as a vector, a quantity having magnitude and direction must also obey certain rules of
combination. One of these is vector addition, written symbolically as A + B = C (vectors are
conventionally written as boldface letters). Geometrically, the vector sum can be visualized by
placing the tail of vector B at the head of vector A and drawing vector C—starting from the tail of A
and ending at the head of B—so that it completes the triangle. If A, B, and C are vectors, it must be
possible to perform the same operation and achieve the same result (C) in reverse order, B + A = C.

Procedure
Part I: Two Vectors
1. Go to: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/vector-addition/latest/vector-addition_en.html
2. Click on Lab.

3. On the upper right part, check the tick boxes of the Values, Angle and the grid
to see more information on the plane.
4. Drag an arrow (cyan colored) and place it on the plane with the tail at the origin. This
represents a vector. A box above the plane shows the magnitude, direction in degrees, and
components (x and y) of the vector.
5. Set the arrow length to 15 units and direction to 90° by dragging the head of the arrow.
PHYS182: Physics for Engineers - Laboratory FINDING THE RESULTANT VECTOR

6. Drag another arrow, of the same color, and place its tail on the head of the first arrow. The
second arrow must be 13 units at 0°.

7. Connect the tail of the first arrow to the head of the second arrow by dragging another arrow,
(orange). The orange arrow serves as the resultant vector or the sum of the two vectors. This
is called head-to-tail method. Take note that a right triangle is formed.

8. Solve the magnitude of the resultant vector, which is the hypotenuse of the right triangle, by
using Pythagorean Theorem.

9. Solve its direction by using trigonometric functions. Take note that the direction value shown
is an angle in standard position. An angle is said to be in standard position if its vertex is
located at the origin and the initial side is on the positive x-axis. The moving ray of the angle
is called the terminal side. The angle is measured by the amount of rotation from the initial
side to the terminal side. The angle is positive if it is rotated counterclockwise and negative if
clockwise.

vy
Click to show the components of the resultant vector. From the orange triangle, tanθ= .
vx
vy
So, θ=arctan .
vx
PHYS182: Physics for Engineers - Laboratory FINDING THE RESULTANT VECTOR

Part II: Three Vectors

1. Drag these arrows to the plane.
a. 15.2 units at 23.2 degrees
b. 12.2 units at 145 degrees
c. 8.1 units at -150.3 degrees
2. Make sure that you follow the “head-to-tail” sketching of these three vectors. That is – the tail
of the second vector must be drawn from the tail of the previous vector. Do the same for the
third vector, or until you draw all the given vectors.
3. Connect the tail of the first vector to the head to the last vector using the orange arrow. The
orange arrow represents the resultant vector. The resultant vector is 9.5 units with an angle
of 108.4 degrees.
4. Component method can be used to find the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector.

Part III:
a. Two Vectors

1. Drag 2 arrows, with random (desired) magnitude and direction, to the plane and show the
resultant vector. Make sure that the magnitude and direction of each vector are shown on the
plane. Write the values on the table below.
PHYS182: Physics for Engineers - Laboratory FINDING THE RESULTANT VECTOR

MAGNITUDE DIRECTION
(Units) (Angle in standard position, °)
Vector 1
Vector 2
Resultant Vector
Note: For the resultant vector direction, express as a positive angle in standard position.

2. Using Pythagorean Theorem, compute the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector.
Write complete and proper solutions. Round off your answer to four decimal places.
Box/underline/highlight final answers.
3. Take a picture of your handwritten solutions and screenshot of the sketch from the
simulation.

b. Four Vectors

1. Choose 4 random arrows that when added will yield a resultant vector located in the second
quadrant. Show the resultant vector (in orange arrow). Make sure that the magnitude and
direction of each vector (blue arrow) are shown on the plane. Write the values on the table
below.

MAGNITUDE DIRECTION
(Units) (Angle in standard position, °)
Vector 1
Vector 2
Vector 3
Vector 4
Resultant Vector
Note: For the resultant vector direction, express as a positive angle in standard position.
2. Using Component Method, compute the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector.
Write complete and proper solutions. Round off your answer to four decimal places.
Box/underline/highlight final answers.
3. Take a picture of your handwritten solutions and screenshot of the sketch from the
simulation.

Handwritten Solutions and Sketch

a. Two Vectors
PHYS182: Physics for Engineers - Laboratory FINDING THE RESULTANT VECTOR

b. Four Vectors
PHYS182: Physics for Engineers - Laboratory FINDING THE RESULTANT VECTOR