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Vector Addition

Lab Experiment Vector Resultant Magnitude Graphical Results Analytical Solution Polygon Method

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288 views4 pages

Vector Addition

Lab Experiment Vector Resultant Magnitude Graphical Results Analytical Solution Polygon Method

Uploaded by

lil_chris106
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Experiment2

VectorAddition

Objectives:
Theobjectiveisto(1)practicethepolygonmethodofvectoraddition,and(2)comparethegraphicalresults
withcalculation(analyticalsolution)togetanideaofhowaccuratethegraphicalmethodusedis.

Equipment:
Aprotractor,aMetricruler,andafewsheetsofgraphingpaper

Theory:
Theresultantoftwoormorevectorsisavectorthatisequivalentinitsphysicaleffectstotheactionofthe
originalvectors.Forexample,ifthreeforcevectorswereactingonanobject,thesethreeforcescouldbe
replacedbytheirresultant,andtheobjectwouldexperiencethesameneteffect.
Note:Inthefollowingsections,"gf"meansgramforce.1gfistheforceofgravityonthemassofonegram.

Findingtheresultantofthreeforcesbythepolygonmethod:
Given:A=200gfat0.0,B=150gfat35.0,andC=250gfat130

Asshownintheexampleabove,drawapolygonwiththethreegivenvectorsA,B,Cbyplacingthevectors,
oneafteranother,onatailtotipbasis.FirstdrawA.ThenfromthetipofA,drawB.Next,fromthetipof
B,drawC.Finally,connectthetailofA(thefirstone)tothetipofC(thelastone)toobtaintheresultant.
Theresultantisformedbyavectordrawnfromthetailofthefirstvectortothetipofthelastvector.Findthe
gramforceequivalentofthelengthofthevector.Thatisthemagnitudeoftheresultant.Theanglethatit
makeswiththepositivexaxisisitsdirection.Measureitwiththeprotractor.Again,chooseascalelarge
enoughtomakethedrawingcoveralmostthewholesheetofthegraphingpaper.Makesurenottochangethe
originaldirectionsofeachvectorasyoucompletethepolygonstepbystep.

Findingtheresultantofthesamethreeforcesbytheanalyticalmethod:

SameExample:
Given:A=200gfat0.0,B=150gfat35.0,andC=250gfat130
Thexandycomponentsofthevectorsare:
Ax=200cos0.00=200gfAy=200sin0.00=0.00gf
Bx=150cos35.0=123gfBy=150sin35.0=86.0gf
Cx=250cos130=161gfCy=250sin130=192gf

Rx=Ax+Bx+Cx=200+123161=162gf
Ry=Ay+By+Cy=0+86.0+192=278gf
R=RABC=320.gf,59.8
Step1:CalculatethehorizontalandverticalcomponentsofeachforceA,B,andC.
Step2:SumthecomponentsinthexdirectiontoobtainRx.
Step3:SumthecomponentsintheydirectiontoobtainRy.
Step4:Computethemagnitudeanddirectionoftheresultantusing

Step5:DrawasketchofRxandRy,andcalculatebyusingthetan1function.
Procedure:
Thedataforthisexperimentarethethreevectors(A,B,andC),as"Given"theTable2below.
Thepurposeistofindthefollowingresultants:R1 ,R2 ,andR3(oneatatime)usingthepolygonmethodas
showninTable1.

Table1

R1=A+B

R2=A+B+C

R3=A+BC

TofindeachoftheresultantsR1,R2,andR3takethefollowingsteps:
1)Chooseareasonablescalethatgivesyouadrawingbigenoughforprecisionmeasurementandatthesame
timethedrawingdoesnotgooutofpage.Indicatetheselectedscaleonthedrawing.Forthesevectors,if
yourxaxisisabout11inchabovetheloweredgeofthepaperandyouryaxisisabout11inchto
therighttheleftedgeofthepaper,noneofR1 ,R2 ,andR3willgooutofpageprovidedthatyouchoose
yourscaleas1cm=2N.
2)Addthevectorsbythepolygonmethodtofindtheresultant.Recordthemagnitudeanddirectionofthe
resultant(thatyoumeasurebyyourrulerprotractorset)intheTable3shownbelow.Theseareyour

measuredvalues.
3)SolveforthesameresultantasyoufoundinStep2,butthistimebyusingtheanalyticalmethod(by
calculationanduseoftrigonometry).Calculatethemagnitudeanddirectionoftheresultantandrecorditunder
calculated(accepted)valuesintheTable3.

4)Calculatea%erroronmagnitudeanda%errorondirectionandrecordtheminthespaceprovidedinthe
Table3.Thefollowing%errorformulaistheonewewillbeusinginthislabthroughoutthesemester.Note:
Inyourreport,thepercenterrorformulamustbeshownunder"TheComparisonoftheResults"section.
Yousimplyshowthisformulaandonlythecalculatedvaluesof%errors.Itisnotnecessarytoshowthe
repeatedsubstitutionofnumbersinthe%errorformula.

Data:

Table2
Vector
A

Magnitude

Direction

25.0N

35.0

B
C

10.0N

120.0

15.0N

155.0

Table3
Calculated
(Accepted)

Measured
Resultant

%erroron
Magnitude

Angle
Angle(
Magnitude(N)
()
)

Magnitude(N)

%erroron
Direction

R1=A+B

R2=A+B+C

R3=A+BC

Calculation(s):
Showsamplecalculation,forexample,thecompletecalculationforR1 .
Comparisonoftheresults:
Providethepercenterrorformulausedaswellasthecalculationofthepercenterrors.
Conclusion:
Stateyourconclusionsoftheexperiment.
Discussion:
Provideadiscussionifnecessary.

Questions:
Whichmethodisthemostprecise,graphicaloranalyticalmethod?
Whyisthepolygonmethodgenerallyconsideredtobethemostreasonablegraphicaltechnique?

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