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VECTOR ADDITION: Vectors Can Be Added by Any of The Two

Vector addition can be done using two methods: 1. Geometrical Method: Vectors are represented as arrows and added using the triangle rule, parallelogram rule, or head-to-tail rule geometrically. 2. Analytical Method: If two vectors A and B make an angle θ, their resultant R can be calculated using the cosine law formula R2 = A2 + B2 + 2ABcosθ. The direction of R is determined using the law of sines.

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27 views

VECTOR ADDITION: Vectors Can Be Added by Any of The Two

Vector addition can be done using two methods: 1. Geometrical Method: Vectors are represented as arrows and added using the triangle rule, parallelogram rule, or head-to-tail rule geometrically. 2. Analytical Method: If two vectors A and B make an angle θ, their resultant R can be calculated using the cosine law formula R2 = A2 + B2 + 2ABcosθ. The direction of R is determined using the law of sines.

Uploaded by

Fateh
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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VECTOR ADDITION: Vectors can be added by any of the two

methods:
1. Geometrical Method
2. Analytical Method
1. Geometrical Method: - Vectors are physical quantities which
have magnitude as well as direction and we add both the magnitude
and direction at the same time. Hence we first represent a vector by
drawing an arrow headed line segment in which the length of the line
shows the magnitude of the vector and the arrow shows direction of
the vector. There are three rules in this method:
a. Triangle Rule
b. Parallelogram Rule
c. Head to Tail Rule
a. Triangle Rule: - This method is used to add two vector
geometrically. It states that, if two vectors make any two sides of a
triangle then the third side will always be their resultant.

R=A+B
R

A
b. Parallelogram Law: - This method is used to add two vectors
geometrically and it states that if two vectors make the adjacent sides
of a parallelogram then the diagonal of the parallelogram will always
P Q
be their resultant. For example A

there are two triangles in the given figure B


B
ΔOPQ and ΔOSQ A
From ΔOPQ we have; O
S
OP + PQ = OQ - - - - - - (1)
From ΔOSQ we have;
OS + SQ = OQ - - - - - - (2)
From equation (1) & (2) we get

OP + PQ = OS + SQ
B+A=A+B
It proves that vector addition obeys commutative law.
c. Head to Tail Rule: - When a number of vectors (more than two)
are to be added then we use the head to tail rule. In this method we
connect all the given vectors together geometrically such that the
head of the first vector is attached with the tail of the second vector
and the head of the second vector is attached with the tail of the third
and so on so forth until the last vector. In the end we draw a resultant
vector by joining the tail of the first vector to the head of the last
vector. This vector shows the magnitude and direction of all the given
vectors. For example we have vectors A, B, C, D & E acting from
different directions as shown below.

R=A+B+C+D+E
2. Analytical Method: - If two vectors lets say A and B are acting on
one point by making and angle θ then such two vectors can be drawn
as shown in the figure:

The magnitude of the resultant vector R can be given


by the following formula:
R2 = A2 + B2 + 2ABcosθ
R = √ A2 + B2 + 2ABcosθ
The above formula is called as cosine law and it determines only the
magnitude of the resultant vector. The direction of the resultant vector
is determined by law of sines.

A = B = R
sin<A sin<B sin<R

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