General Physics 1

Vectors

Vector Addition using Component Method

Any type of vector may be expressed in terms of its components. In two dimensions, the vector
components of a vector A are two perpendicular vectors Ax and Ay that are drawn parallel to the x and y
axes, respectively, and add together vectorially so that A = Ax + Ay.

The components of a vector provide the most convenient and accurate way of adding (or
subtracting) any number of vectors. For example, suppose that vector A is added to vector B. The
resultant vector is C, where C = A + B. Upon illustration, the x and y components of vectors A and B
must be specified. Collinear x components add together to give the x component of the resultant vector C.
In like fashion, collinear y components add together to give the y component of C. The vector
components Cx and Cy of the resultant vector form the sides of the right triangle. Thus, we can find the
magnitude of C by using the Pythagorean theorem:

C = √ Cx2 + Cy2

Generally speaking, the component method of vector addition is done by doing the following
strategy:

1. For each vector to be added, determine the x and y components relative to a conveniently chosen
x and y coordinate system. Be sure to take into account the directions of the components by using
plus and minus signs to denote whether the components point along the positive or negative axes.
2. Find the algebraic sum of the x components, which is the x component of the resultant vector.
Similarly, find the algebraic sum of the y components, which is the y component of the resultant
vector.
3. Use the x and y components of the resultant vector and the Pythagorean theorem to determine the
magnitude of the resultant vector.
4. Use either the inverse sine, inverse cosine, or inverse tangent function to find the angle that
specifies the direction of the resultant vector.

Sample Problems:

1. Suppose that while a plane is flying 600 km/hr East, it then encounters a wind blowing North at
100 km/hr. How does this affect the velocity of the airplane?
ANS: v = 608 km/hr; ϴ = 9.5 degrees N of E
2. A jogger runs 145 m in a direction 20° E of N and then 105 m in a direction 35° S of E.
Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant displacement.
ANS: 155 m, 29° N of E
3. An explorer walks 22.0 km in a northerly direction, and then walks in a direction 60° south of
east for 47.0 km. How far is she from where she started?
ANS: 30 km at 38.5° south of east (below x-axis)
Solution:
 We want to find her resultant displacement from the origin. We choose the positive x axis
to be east and the positive y axis north, and resolve each displacement vector into its components.
Since D1 has magnitude 22.0 km and points north, it has only a y component:
D1x = 0 ; D1y = 22.0 km
whereas D2 has both x and y components:
D2x = + 47 km(cos 60º) = + 23.5 km
D2y = - 47 km(sin 60º) = - 40.7 km

Notice that D2y is negative because this vector component points along the negative y
axis. The resultant vector D has components:

Dx = D1x + D2x = 0 + 23.5 km = 23.5 km

Dy = D1y + D2y = 22.0 km – 40.7 km = - 18.7 km
The resultant vector is given by its magnitude and angle using Pythagorean theorem:
D = √ │Dx2 │ + │Dy2│= √ (23.5 km)2 + (18.7 km)2 = 30.0 km
tan ɵ = Dy / Dx = -18.7 km / 23. 5 km = - 0.796
So ɵ = 38.5º south of east. The negative sign for the tangent results because ɵ is
below x – axis.

4. An airplane trip involves three legs, with two stopovers. The first leg is due east for 620 km, the
second leg is southeast for 440 km, and the third leg is at 53° S of W for 550 km. What is the
plane’s total displacement?
ANS: 960 km at θ = - 51° (below the x-axis)
Solution:
Calculate the components:
D1 : D1x = +D1 cos 0 º = 620 km
D2 : D2x = +D2 cos 45 º = + (440 km)(0.707) = +311 km
D2y = - D2 sin 45 º = -(440 km)(0.707) = - 311 km
D3 : D3x = -D3 cos 53 º = -(550 km)(0.602) = -331 km
D3y = - D3 sin 53 º = -(550 km)(0.799) = -439 km
Note carefully that a minus sign is given to each component that points in the negative x
or negative y direction. Then,
Dx = D1x + D2x + D3x = 620 km + 311 km – 311 km = 600 km
Dy = D1y + D2y + D3y = 0 – 311 km – 439 km = -750 km
The x and y components are 600 km (east) and – 750 km (south). This is one way to give
the answer.
We can also give the answer as
D = √ │Dx2 │ + │Dy2│= √ (600 km)2 + (-750 km)2 = 960 km
tan ɵ = Dy / Dx = -750 km/ 600 km = - 1.25, so ɵ = - 51 º
Thus, the total displacement has magnitude 960 km and points - 51 º below the x axis
(south of east).

5. The figure below shows three displacement vectors A, B, and C. These vectors are arranged in
tail-to-head fashion, because they add together to give a resultant displacement R, which lies
along the x-axis. Note that the vector B is parallel to the x-axis. What is the magnitude of the
vector C?
ANS: 22.9 m
Reasoning:
The magnitude of C is related to its components Cx and Cy. The magnitude of C is given
by the Pythagorean Theorem in the form of C = √Cx2 + Cy2, since a vector and its components
form a right triangle.
The vectors B and R each have a zero value for their y-components. This is because these
vectors are parallel to the x-axis.
The fact that A, B and C add together to give the resultant R means that the sum of the x-
components of A, B and C equals the x-component of R (Ax + Bx + Cx = Rx) and the sum of the y-
components of A, B and C equals the y-component of R (Ay + By + Cy = Ry).

Solution:
Ax + B x + C x = R x
(20 m) cos 60 + 10 m + Cx = 35 m
Cx = 15.0 m

Ay + B y + C y = R y
(20 m) sin 60 + 0 m + Cy = 0 m
Cy = - 17.3 m

C = √Cx2 + Cy2
= √(15 m)2 + (17.3 m)2
= 22.9 m
6. The pilot of a private plane flies 20 km in a direction 60° N of E then 30 km straight E, and then
10 km straight North. How far and in what direction is the plane from the starting point?
ANS: 48.44 km at 34.3 N of E

7. A person walks 53 m in a direction 20° N of E. He then walked 34 m in a direction 63° N of E.

Find his resultant displacement.
ANS: 81.245 m at 36.58° N of E
8. Three forces act on a point: 3 N at 0 degrees, 4 N at 90 degrees, and 5 N at 217 degrees. What is
the net force?
ANS: 1.41 N at 135 degrees
9. Ana runs 4.0 m 40⁰ north of east, 2.0 m east, 5.2 m 30⁰ south of west, and 6.5 m south before
stopping for water break. Find her resultant displacement from where she started.
ANS: 6.6 m at 85⁰ south of east
Solution:
Tabulate the horizontal and vertical components of each vector.

Vectors Horizontal components Vertical components

D1 = 4.0 m, 40⁰ north of east D1y = +4.0 m (sin 40⁰)
D1x = +4.0 m (cos 40⁰) = +2.57 m
= +3.06 m
 D2 = 2.0 m, east D2x = +2.0 m D2y = 0
D3 = 5.2 m, 30⁰ south of west D3x = -5.20 m (cos 30⁰) D3y = -5.2 m (sin 30⁰)
= -4.50 m = -2.60 m
D4 = 6.5 m, south D4x = 0 D4y = -6.5 m
∑Dx = +0.56 m ∑Dy = -6.53 m

Solving for the magnitude of the resultant displacement, DR,

DR = √|(∑Dx)2| + |(∑Dy)2|
= √(0.56 m)2 + (6.53 m)2
= 6.6 m
Solving for the direction ϴ of the resultant,
ϴ = tan-1 (∑Dy / ∑Dx )
= 85⁰ south of east
Since ∑Dx is positive and ∑Dy is negative, the resultant must be in the fourth quadrant. Hence,
the direction must be 85⁰ south of east. Therefore, DR is 6.6 m at 85⁰ south of east.

10. Alice exits the front door of her home and walks along the path shown below. The walk consists
of four legs with the following magnitudes:
A = 46 m East
B = 142 m South
C = 78 m 30 degrees South of West
D = 89 m 60 degrees North of West
Determine the magnitude and direction of Alice's resultant displacement.

Solution:
The four different legs of Alice's trip must be resolved into east-west and north-south
components using SOH CAH TOA.
The resultant has components of 66.05 m, West and 103.92 m, South. The Pythagorean
theorem can be used to determine the magnitude of the resultant. The work is shown below.

R2 = (66.05 m)2 + (103.92 m)2 = 15161.97 m 2

R = SQRT(15161.97 m2)
R = 123 m
The tangent function can be used to determine the angle that the resultant makes with due West.
tangent(Θ) = (103.92 m)/(66.05 m) = 0.500
Θ = tan-1 (1.5733 …) = 57.56 … °
Θ = ~57.6°
So the direction of the vector is 57.6° South of West or 237.6° CCW.

Answer: 123 m, 57.6° South of West or 237.6° CCW

Quiz:

1. True or False: The order in which vectors are added will affect the end result.
2. Which of these expresses a vector quantity?
a. 10 kg
b. 10 kg to the north
c. 10 m/s
d. 10 m/s to the east
3. A plane flies north at 200 m/s with a headwind blowing from the north at 70 m/s. What is the
resultant velocity of the plane?
a. 130 m/s north
b. 130 m/s south
c. 270 m/s north
d. 270 m/s south
e. 212 m/s northwest
4. Calculate the resultant force, when four forces of 30 N due east, 20 N due north, 50 N due west
and 40 N due south, are acted upon a body.
a. 20√2 N, southwest
b. 20√2 N, northwest
c. 20√2 N, southeast
d. 40√2 N, southwest
5. A particle is acted upon by four forces simultaneously, 30 N due east 20 N due north 15 N due
west 40 N due south. Find the resultant force of the particle.

Answer Key

1. False
The order or sequence in which vectors are added does not affect the end result. Vector addition
is commutative, meaning that the result will be the same regardless of the order in which the
vectors are added. This property holds true for both scalar and vector quantities. Therefore, the
given statement is false.
2. D.
The answer "10 m/s to the east" expresses a vector quantity because it includes both magnitude
(10 m/s) and direction (to the east). A vector quantity represents a physical quantity that has both
magnitude and direction, such as velocity or force. In this case, the answer specifies a speed of 10
m/s and the direction of motion, which makes it a vector quantity.
3. A
4. A
5. See solution below.