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Last Name and First Name:

Janaarth Sritharan

  
SPH3U Vectors Online Activity
Vocabulary​:​ component, magnitude, resultant, scalar, vector

Prior Knowledge Question:​An airplane is traveling north at 300 km/h. Suddenly, it is hit by a
strong crosswind blowing 150 km/h from west to east. ​In which
direction do you think the plane will most likely move. Explain
your answer.

I believe that it will start going north-east once the wind hits
because the wind is going at a strong force, which would
have to move it to the eastern side.

Go to ​www.explorelearning.com​ and open the Vectors Gizmo. ​Displacement, velocity,

momentum, acceleration, and force are all examples of quantities that have both direction and
magnitude​. Anything with direction and magnitude can be represented using a ​vector​.

Look at vectors ​a​ and ​b​ on the ​Vectors​ Gizmo grid.

The initial point of each vector, i.e. TAIL, is shown with
a circle. The terminal point, i.e. TIP, of each vector is
located at the tip of the arrow. Each vector is described
by two ​components​:​ ​the ​i component​ (which in this
app refers to the ​x-component​ or horizontal
component) of the vector and the ​j​ ​component​ (which
in this app refers to the ​y-component​ or vertical
component) of the vector.

1. Move the initial point of vector ​a​ to the origin (0, 0) on the grid.

A. How did the components of the vector a change?

The line follows the initial point and the equation does not change.

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 B. Drag the TIP of vector ​a​ so that it lines up with the ​x-​ axis. Which component

describes the vector’s position along the ​x​-axis?

The number behind “j” is what describes the vector’s position along the x-axis

C. Drag TIP of ​a​ so that it lines up with the ​y​-axis. Which component describes the

vector’s position along the ​y​-axis?

The number behind “i” is what describes the vector’s position along the y-axis

Activity A: Get the Gizmo ready​:

Vector magnitude ● Change vector ​a​ so that its notation is 0​i​ + 3​j​.
and angle ● You will need a scientific calculator for this activity.

Question: How can you determine a vector’s magnitude and angle?

1. Observe​: The magnitude of a vector is the distance from the vector’s initial point to its
terminal point, i.e. tail to tip. The magnitude of a vector is written: ||​x​||. Magnitude is a
scalar​, or a number that does not indicate direction.

A. What is the magnitude of vector ​a​?

||​a​|| =3

Turn on ​Show ruler​ and use the ruler to check your answer.

B. Turn off the ruler. Drag the tip of vector ​a​ so that its notation is 4​i​ + 3​j. ​i.e. its

horizontal component is 4 and its vertical component is 3. What do you think the

magnitude of vector ​a​ is now?

||​a​|| = 7

C. Explain your reasoning for the response above.

I just did the total number when I added the run and then rise. I don’t really have a

reason, it is just an educated guess.

2. Explore​: A vector can be broken down into perpendicular vectors that describe its length
along the ​x​ and ​y​ axes. Turn on ​Show x, y components​. How do the ​x ​and ​y ​vectors that
appear​ ​for vector ​a ​relate to the​ i​ and ​j​ notation?

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The x and y components represent how much you have to run and rise to get to the final
position

3. Calculate​: The ​x,​ ​y​ components of vector ​a​ form the two sides of a right triangle. The length
of the hypotenuse of that triangle will equal the length (and, thus, the magnitude) of vector ​a​.

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 The ​Pythagorean theorem​ states that for a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse
equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides:

(length of hypotenuse)​2​ = (length of one side)​2​ + (length of other side)​2

Use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the magnitude of vector ​a​.

||​a​|| = 3^2*4^2
=9+16
=25
=5

Turn on ​Show ruler​ and use the ruler to check your answer.

4. Apply​: What are the magnitudes of the following vectors?

x-component 3 and y-component -5

5.83

x-component -1 and y-component -2

2.24

x-component -14 and y-component 3

14.32

5. Identify​: Besides a quantity’s magnitude, vectors also indicate direction. For example, on the
Gizmo’s grid, suppose the ​y-​ axis represents displacement to the north or south and the
x-​ axis represents displacement to the east or west. Reposition vector ​a​ so that its notation
reads 0​i​ + 3​j​.

What is the direction of vector ​a​: north, south, east, or west?

North

6. Calculate​: Move vector ​a​ so that its notation is 2​i​ + 3​j​. Vector ​a​ now has a
direction that is difficult to describe using words. However, the direction of
vector ​a​ can be described as an angle (​θ​)​ ​away from the ​x​-axis.

Remember that the ​x​, y​ ​ components of vector ​a​ form the two sides of a
right triangle. For a right triangle, the tangent (tan) of any of the triangle’s
angles is equal to the ratio of the opposite and adjacent sides:

From this equation, you can derive the following formula for the angle of vector ​a​:

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 Use a scientific calculator to find the angle of vector ​a​:
Θ=35.78252559

This is the angle between vector ​a​ and the x​ ​-axis (or east-west direction). Note that because
the magnitudes of ​x​ and ​y​ are always positive, the angle of the vector relative to the ​x​ axis is
positive as well.
How would you write this vector angle by the compass?
(E 36 N)

7. Check your work​: To check your calculation, select ​Show angle measure tool​. Place the
protractor’s center circle on the initial point of vector ​a​. Place one end of the protractor on
the terminal point of the ​x​ component and the other end on the terminal point of vector ​a​.

What is the measured angle of vector ​a​?

33.69

8. Apply​: What are the ​angles ​of the following vectors? What would be their ​vector notation
by the compass?
9.
x-component 3 and y-component -5
Θ=59.04

Vector notation:(E 60 S)

x-component -1 and y-component -2

Θ=63.43

Vector notation:(W 63 S)

x-component -14 and y-component 3

Θ=12.09

Vector notation(W 12 N)

Activity B: Get the Gizmo ready​:

Vector Sums Clear the Sim.

Question: How can you add vectors together?

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 Predict​: ​ ​Suppose a boat is crossing a river from south to north at 4 m/s. There is a swift
current flowing from west to east at 3 m/s. Add two vectors to the sim to represent these 2
velocities. Place them tip to tail. Let vector ​a​ represent the speed and direction of the boat
relative to the water, and vector ​b​ represent the speed and direction of the current.

What is the magnitude of the total or resultant velocity of the boat?

5

What is the angle of the total or resultant velocity of the boat? State this by the compass
36.87

How can you predict the magnitude and total velocity of any object moving as a result of two
perpendicular velocities?
You would have to use pythagorean theorem

How can you predict the magnitude and total velocity of any object moving as a result of two
velocities that are not perpendicular but at any angle to each other?

1. Observe​:
Clear the SIM. Turn ​Show x, y components ​off.
Set the vectors so that vector ​a​ has x component= 5​ ​and y component = 1, and vector ​b​ has x
component -1 and y component 3. Turn on ​Show resultant​.

Place the initial points of vectors ​a​ and ​b​ on (0, 0). Vector ​c​ is the ​resultant​, or the sum of
vectors ​a​ and ​b​. The resultant represents the total motion of the object, for example a plane
travelling at a certain speed (a) through air that has a certain windspeed (b).

What is the angle of vector ​c​?

37.87

Select ​Show ruler​. What is the magnitude of vector ​c​?

4.47

2. Analyze​: Turn off the ruler. Shift vector ​b​ so that its initial point is on the terminal point of ​a​.

What do you notice about the terminal point of ​b​?

It is the magnitude of the two vectors when b was at the origin

Move ​b​ back to the origin, and shift ​a​ so that its initial point is on the terminal point of ​b​. What

do you notice?

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It is also the magnitude when a was at the origin

3. Infer​: Now, look at the ​i​ and j​ ​ (i.e. x and y) components for vector ​c​.
A. How is the x​ ​component of the resultant vector ​c​ related to the x​ ​components of

vectors ​a​ and ​b​?

If you were to add the x components, they would equal the x-component of
vector c

B. How is the y​ ​component of the resultant vector ​c​ related to the y​ ​components of

vectors ​a​ and ​b​?

If you were to add the y components, they would equal the y-component
of vector c

4. Make a rule​: How do you think the magnitude of ​c​ can be found using those of ​a​ and ​b​?

You could add the x-components and y-components of the terminal points of both vectors and
once you find those, you could use pythagorean theorem to determine the magnitude

5. Apply​: Suppose ​a​ vector has x component = 2 and y component=– 3​, ​ and ​b vector​ has x
component = 4 and y component = 0

A. Without using the Gizmo, find the resultant of adding these two vectors. Show your
work
x=2+4=6x
y=-3+0=-3y

B. Turn on ​Show sum computation​. Were you correct? If not, what was the actual

resultant?

Yes I was

6. Solve​: Find the magnitude and angle of vector a, b, and their resultant for each of the

following sets of vectors a and b. Show your work.

i) vector a: x-component 5 and y-component -8

vector b: x-component -4 and y-component -2

Magnitude and angle of vector a:

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Since it’s starting at origin, we could skip to pythagorean theorem
=5^2+-8^2
=25+64
=square root(89)
=9.43398113

Angle=tan -1 (-8/5)
=57.99461679
=58 degrees

Magnitude and angle of vector b:

Since it’s starting at origin, we could skip to pythagorean theorem
=-4^2+-2^2
=16+4
=square root(20)
=4.47213595

Angle=tan -1 (-4/-2)
=63.43494882
=63 degrees

Magnitude and angle of resultant:

c=5x-8y-4x-2y
c=x-10y
m=1^2+10^2
m=square root(101)
m=10.04988

Angle=tan -1(10/1)
=84.28940686
=84 degrees

ii) vector a: x-component 28 and y-component 14

vector b: x-component 10 and y-component -3

Resultant:
Magnitude and angle of vector a:
28^2+14^2
784+196
square root(980)
=31.30495

Angle=tan -1(14/28)
=26.56505118
=27 degrees

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Magnitude and angle of vector b:
10^2+(-3)^2
100+9
square root(109)
=10.4403065

Angle=tan -1(-3/10)

=16.69924423

=17 degrees

Magnitude and angle of resultant:

c=28x+14y+10x-3y
=38x+11y
38^2+11^2
square root(1565)
=39.5600809

Angle=tan -1(11/38)

=16.14433878

=16 degrees

7. Explain​: Create 2 vectors so that vector ​a​ has x component= –​​ 2 and y component=– 3, and

vector ​b ​has x component = 2 and y component = 3. Why does the resultant vector ​c​ no

longer have an arrow?

Because it is a straight line with one the coordinates being the same numbers, but
different signs which would cancel each other out.

When two vectors cancel each other out they are said to be in a state of equilibrium. If these
were velocity vectors for a particular object’s motion, what would you observe?

It would be someone walking to a certain point and then turning back to the exact point they
started off at so in the end, they didn’t move or make any progress in moving somewhere

8. Identify​: Name another pair of vectors that would create a state of equilibrium.

(9,2)(-9,-2)

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