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Investigatory Project

The document describes an experiment to determine the weight of an unknown object using the parallelogram law of vectors. The experiment involves setting up a Gravesand's apparatus with two known weights suspended from pulleys and measuring the diagonal of a parallelogram drawn from the forces to calculate the weight of an object suspended in the middle. The document provides details of the materials, procedure, observations, calculations, sources of error, and conclusion of the experiment.

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Dishant Vaghela
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307 views18 pages

Investigatory Project

The document describes an experiment to determine the weight of an unknown object using the parallelogram law of vectors. The experiment involves setting up a Gravesand's apparatus with two known weights suspended from pulleys and measuring the diagonal of a parallelogram drawn from the forces to calculate the weight of an object suspended in the middle. The document provides details of the materials, procedure, observations, calculations, sources of error, and conclusion of the experiment.

Uploaded by

Dishant Vaghela
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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APSI

AHMEDABAD PUBLIC SCHOOL


INTERNATIONAL

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT


PARALLELOGRAM LAW OF VECTOR

SESSION: 2022-2023

Submitted to- Submitted by-


Mr.Dinesh Dishant Vaghela
& Class- XI-Science
The Respected
Principal maam
Ms Ronak Zaveri
ABSTRACT

What does the Parallelogram Law of Vectors


state?
If two vectors acting simultaneously at
a point can be represented both in magnitude
and direction by the adjacent sides of a
parallelogram drawn from a point, then the
resultant vector is represented both in
magnitude and direction by the diagonal of
the parallelogram passing through that point.
INDEX

• Introduction
• Experiment
• Aim
• Materials required
• Formula
• Procedure
• Diagram
• Observation
• Calculations
• Result
• Precautions
• Sources of error
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
INTRODUCTION
In this experiment, we will study the
properties of the laws of vector addition, one
of it being the parallelogram law of vector. It
is studied using the Gravesand’s apparatus
and hence finding the weight of unknown
body. It is an apparatus used for
demonstrating laws of vector summation.
There are two pulleys with certain masses
attached and there is another mass hung on
the string. The idea is that at equilibrium, the
vector sum of the forces (weights)
experienced by the two masses on the pulley
is equal to the force (weight) experienced by
the mass in the middle
EXPERIMENT

Aim:
To find the weight of the given body
using parallelogram law of vectors.

Apparatus required:
• Parallelogram law of forces apparatus
(Gravesand’s apparatus)
• plumb line
• slotted weights
• Spring balance
• a body (a wooden block) whose weight is to
be determined
• thin strong or thread
• white drawing paper sheet
• drawing pins
• mirror strip
• sharp pencil
• metre scale
• set squares

Formula:
If the two unknown weights P and
Q are suspended through the two pulleys and
the unknown weight R is suspended from the
middle hanger ,then:

And

Were,
R is the unknown weight and
P and Q are the balance weights.
The unknown weight R can be calculated
using this formula.
Procedure:
Setting up the apparatus:
✓ Check the pulleys and fix them gently.
Ensure that the pulleys are moving
smoothly.
✓ Set up the Gravesand’s apparatus in
vertical position. Use a plumb line for this
purpose.
✓ Fix a white sheet of paper on the
wooden board with the help of drawing
pins.
✓ The two hangers are tied at the ends of
thread. The thread should be long
enough.
✓ Another tread at the middle of the first
thread is tied (at O). Suspend an unknown
weights P and Q on the two ends of the
longer thread. The longer thread should
pass over the pulleys.
✓ Weights P and Q should be suspended
in a way that the knot O remains in
equilibrium.
✓ Ensure that neither the weights nor the
threads touch the board or the table.

Taking Impression of three forces on


the paper.
✓ Mark the position of knot O on the
white paper by a sharp pencil.
✓ Slightly disturb the slotted weights P
and Q and leave them. Note the position
of O. It should be closer to the earlier
position. If that is not the case, then the
pulleys are not frictionless and need
further lubrication.
✓ Hold the mirror strip lengthwise under
each thread. Mark the position of the
ends of the images of the threads formed
in the mirror.
✓ Now, cover the image by the thread.
This is necessary in order to remove
parallax error.
✓ Remove the hangers and note the
weight of each hanger and slotted weights
with the help of spring balance.
Drawing the parallelogram:
✓ Remove the sheet of paper from the
wooden board.
✓ With the help of a metre scale, draw
the lines OT1, OT2 and OR. Mark the pints
P1, P1’, P2 and P2’.
✓ Draw a parallelogram with sides OA and
OB in the ratio of known weights attached
to pulley.
✓ Draw the diagonal OC and measure it.
✓ After joining the line OC, get the
resultant R of all three forces.
Measurement of weight:
✓ Take a suitable scale, let 1cm=50 g, so if
P=50 g, then length OA=3cm and Q=150g,
so length OB=3cm.
✓ Complete the parallelogram OACB using
set squares and join diagonal OC. OC
represents resultant vector R.
✓ Measure diagonal OC. Let OC=3cm,
then unknown weight=3 * 50=150 g.
✓ Similarly, repeat the same procedure by
changing weights P and Q suitably.
✓ Find correct weight of the given body
by spring balance.
Diagram:
Observation:
Least count of spring balance = …… g
Zero error of spring balance = …….. g
Weight of each hanger =…….. g
Weight of unknown body by spring
balance = …….g
Scale used: Let 1 cm = 50 g
Calculations:
When OC = …cm, then R = …..
Unknown weight, W =…….
Mean weight,
W=…… Weight by spring balance,
W’ = …..
Percentage error =
RESULT:
The unknown weight of given body
= ……. g
The error is within limits of
experimental error.
Precautions:
1.The board should be stable and
vertical.
2. The pulleys should be friction
less.
3.The hangers should not touch
the board or table.
4. Junction O should be in the
middle of the paper sheet.
5. Points should be marked only
when weights are at rest.
6. Points should be marked with
sharp pencil.
7. Arrows should be marked to
show direction of forces.
8. A proper scale should be taken
to make fairly big parallelogram.
Sources of error:
1. Pulleys may have friction.
2. Weights may not be accurate.
3. Points may not be marked
correctly.
4. Weight measured by spring
balance may not be much accurate.

Conclusion:
The weight of the unknown body
has been found using
parallelogram law of vector
and the result has been recorded.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
➢ Class 11 NCERT textbook
➢ Wikipedia
➢ Class 11 lab manual

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