Experiment 2: Vector Addition

Laboratory Report

Rafael Antonio David, Pamela de Leon, Katrina de Vera, Manette Dejelo

Department of Sports Science

College of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Santo Tomas
España Street, Manila Philippines

Abstract scale. The component method involves

adding the x- components of each of the
Scalar is a quantity that deals with vectors and adding them together to get the
magnitude. Vector is a quantity that deals total of x-components, and adding the y-
with both magnitude and direction. Vector components of each vectors and adding
addition is a process wherein two vectors them together to get the total of y-
are added to determine the resultant vector. components.
There are three methods in solving for the
resultant vector: the polygon method, In vector addition, the commutative
parallelogram method, and the component law simply shows that the resultant vector is
method. +  or + . The associative law
shows that the resultant vector is ( + ) +
1. Introduction or + ( + ). It states that the vector
sum remains same irrespective of their order
Vector addition is a process of or grouping in which they are arranged.
combining two or more vectors. The
resultant vector (R), also known as the In this experiment, the group should
resultant displacement, is a vector that be able to achieve the following objectives:
results from adding two or more vectors (1) To determine the resultant displacement
together. There are three different ways to by the component method, parallelogram
calculate the resultant vector: the polygon method and polygon method, and (2) to
method, the parallelogram method, and the show that vector addition is commutative
component method. and associative.

The polygon method, or the “head

2. Theory
to tail” method, calculates the resultant
vector by lining up the head of the last
Many mathematical operations can
vector to the tail of the first vector. The
be used to manipulate a vector. Addition of
parallelogram method involves drawing
vectors is an example of such. To determine
the vector to scale in the indicated direction,
the resultant of a vector, two vectors must be
sketching a parallelogram around the vector
added. The resultant vector corresponds to
such that the resultant vector is the diagonal
the resultant or sum of a physical quantity
of the parallelogram, and determining the
having the same directions.
magnitude of the components using the

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 The Pythagorean Theorem is used in increasing or decreasing order of direction.
finding the resultant of adding two vectors But it is not so. The order of grouping of
that make a right angle to each other. Also, vectors for addition has no consequence on
it is not advisable to use the Pythagorean the result. This characteristic of vector
Theorem when more than two vectors are addition is known as “associative” property
given or for summing up vectors that are not of vector addition and is expressed
90 degrees to each other. The Pythagorean mathematically as:
Theorem has the equation:
a2 + b2 = c2 (a + b) + c = a + (b + c)
Trigonometric functions are also Parallelogram method is when two
helpful in determining the direction of a vectors are represented by two adjacent
resultant vector. The usage of SOH CAH sides of a parallelogram, and then the
TOA helps one to keep in mind the meaning diagonal of parallelogram through the
of these three trigonometric functions; sine, common point represents the sum of the two
cosine and tangent respectively. These three vectors in both magnitude and direction.
functions relate an acute angle in a right
triangle to the ratio of the lengths of two of
The Component method is when the
the sides of the right triangle. The Sine
components of a vector are those vectors
function relates the measure of an acute
which, when added together, give the
angle to the ratio of the length of the side
original vector. The sum of the components
opposite the angle to the length of the
of two vectors is equal to the sum of these
hypotenuse. The Cosine function relates the
two vectors. If components are appropriately
measure of an acute angle to the ratio of the
chosen, this theorem can be used as a
length of the side adjacent the angle to the
convenient method for adding vectors.
length of the hypotenuse. The Tangent
function relates the measure of an angle to
The direction of vectors is always
the ratio of the length of the side opposite
defined relative to a system of axes. For
the angle to the length of the side adjacent to
example, in discussing displacement on
the angle. The equations of the functions
the surface of the earth, it is convenient
are as follows:
to use axes directed from South to North
and from West to East. In such a
situation, an arbitrary displacement A can
be thought of as being made up of two
components A1 and A2 directed along
these axes, such that A = A1 + A2. The
component method also makes use of
trigonometric functions to determine the
Polygon method of vector addition is resultant.
when numbers of vectors are represented by
x-component: Projection of the vector at
(n-1) sides of a polygon in sequence, the n th
x-axis; AcosΘ
side, closing the polygon in the opposite
direction, represents the sum of the vectors y-component: Projection of the vector at
in both magnitude and direction. Polygon y-axis; AsinΘ
formation has great deal of flexibility. It
∑y
might appear that we should elect vectors in θ=tan -1 | |
∑x
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3. Methodology 4. Results and Discussion

The materials that were used for this Tables 1, 2, and 3 show the
experiment were the meter stick, chalk, magnitude of R, % error for magnitude,
graphing paper and protractor. direction of R, % error for direction using
the three graphical methods: polygon
method (Trial 1), parallelogram method
In the first activity, the initial (Trial 2), and the component method (Trial
position of one member of the group was 3). Three trials were made in activity 1 using
marked. This member underwent the the polygon method and two trials for
following successive displacements: 1m E, activity 2 using the parallelogram method.
2.5m N, and 3m 30° N of W. His final
position was marked. An arrow was drawn
from his initial position to his final position. Table 1. Polygon Method
This represented his resultant displacement.
TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3
The magnitude as well as the direction of his
Magnitude of R 4.3 m 4.4 m 4.2 m
resultant displacement was determined using % error for
the ruler and protractor. This member was 0% 2.3 % 2.3 %
magnitude
asked to walk starting from his initial Direction of R 68° NW 70 ° NW 68 ° NW
position to this following order: 2.5m N, 3m % error for
0.3 % NW 2.6 % NW 0.3 % NW
30° N of W and 1m E. The resultant direction
displacement was determined. The same was
repeated but in this following order: 3m 30°
The polygon method is used to find
N of W, 2.5m N and 1m E.
the resultant of two or more than two
In the second activity, the successive vectors. It states that if a number of vectors
displacements were still used: = 1m E, can be represented by the side of the
polygon in magnitude and direction taken in
= 2.5m N, and = 3m 30° N of W. A order, then their resultant is represented by
suitable scale was used to determine the the side which closes the polygon taken in
resultant displacement by the use of the the opposite order. Table 1 shows the
parallelogram method. A and B were added magnitude, % error for the magnitude,
first for the first determination for the direction of the resultant and % error for the
resultant displacement. Their resultant was direction. In the first trial, the magnitude of
added to C. B and C were added for the R is 4.3 m with a % error for magnitude of
second determination, and their result was 0% and the direction of R is 68° North of
added to A. West which has a %error for direction of
In the third activity, the resultant 0.3% North of West. In the second trial, the
displacement was determined by using the magnitude of R is 4.4 m with a %error of 2.3
component method. Using this resultant as for the magnitude and is directed 70° North
the accepted value, the % error of of West which has a %error for direction of
magnitude, as well as the direction for the 2.6% North of West and for the last trial, the
resultant displacement obtained in activities magnitude of R is 4.2 m and its %error for
1 and 2, was computed. magnitude is 2.3% directed 68° North of
West with a %error for direction of 0.3%
North of West.

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 The probable sources of % error may
be the wrong plotting of the given scales or
Table 2. Parallelogram Method quantities as well as the wrong computations
made. Also, with these results it simply
TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2
Length of arrow
projects that vector addition is commutative
4.3 m 4.3 m and associative because the order of addition
representing R
Magnitude of R 4.3 m 4.3 m does not affect the final result and the result
% error for
0% 0%
of vector addition is independent of the
magnitude order in which the vectors are added.
Direction of R 30° NW 30° NW
% error of direction 56 % 56 %

5. Conclusion
The parallelogram method involves
using an accurately drawn, scaled vector In this experiment, measuring and
diagram to determine the components of the determining direction is mostly what this
vector. The method involves drawing the activity is about. The resultant displacement
vector to scale in the indicated direction, was successfully determined by using each
sketching a parallelogram around the vector of the three graphical methods: The polygon
such that the vector is the diagonal of the method, parallelogram method, and
parallelogram, and determining the component method. These methods are not
magnitude of the components using the scale an easy process, for it takes focus and time
and vectors are drawn at a common origin. to determine the right answers to the
Table 2 shows the magnitude of R, %error problems. Each of the method has a certain
for magnitude, direction of R and %error of process you have to follow to arrive at an
direction. Given that A= 1m E; B= 2.5m N; accurate answer with a measurement and a
C= 3m 30° N of W. The magnitude of R is note of direction. The resultant displacement
4.3m with a %error for magnitude of 0% using the component method was 4.3 m.
and the direction of R is 30° NW having a Knowing that the commutative law shows
%error for direction of 56%. Trial two has
that the resultant vector is +  or +
the same results as well.
and the associative law shows that the
Table 3. Component Method resultant vector is ( + ) + or + (
Displacement x - component y - component + ), vector addition is associative and
A 1 0 commutative in the sense that even though
B 0 2.5 you interchange the variables, you can still
C - 2.598 1.5 arrive at the precise answer.
∑x = 1.598 ∑y = 4
Magnitude of R = 4.3m, Direction of R = 68.2 NW

Using the resultant as the accepted

6. Applications
value, we computed that the magnitude of R
is 4.3 m and the direction of R is 68.2° NW 1) You are given only the
making use of the values above. The x- magnitudes of two vectors: 3
component of A, B and C was obtained units and 4 units. What is the
using the cosine function and the y- range of magnitude of
component was obtained using the sine resultant? What must be the
function. angle between these vectors to
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get A) maximum resultant B) 2) Differentiate distance from
minimum resultant C) a displacement. Is it possible for
resultant of magnitude 5 units you to have no displacement
D) a resultant of 6 units? even though you have travelled
a great distance? Explain by
giving examples.

Distance can be measured as the

distance travelled around the path
of motion. It can also represent
the net distance travelled between
the start position and the end
position (Displacement). The
distance is a vector quantity while
displacement is a scalar. Both are
measured using the SI unit; meter
= m. No, it is not impossible
because displacement is defined
as the net distance travelled
between the start position and the
end position. When you have
travelled a great distance, there
will always be a start position and
the end position; thus a
displacement will be present.

Example:

A person walks in a curvy path

from point A to point B. So a
displacement will always be
present when a distance is
present.

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3) To go to a grocery, a student 7. References
has to walk 8.25m S, 4.0 m E,
and then 2.5m SE from his [1] Cutnell, J.D. & Johnson, K.W. (2010).
dormitory. Specify the distance Introduction to physics. (8th ed.). USA: John
and bearing of the grocery Wiley & Sons.
relative to the student’s
dormitory. [2] Properties of vector addition. Retrieved
on Novermber 29, 2010 from
http://www.citycollegiate.com/vectorXIg.ht
m

[3] Vector addition. Retrieved on November

29, 2010 from
http://cnx.org/content/m13601/latest/

[4] Distance and displacement. Retrieved on

November 20, 2010 from
http://www.splung.com/content/sid//2/page/
distance