Grade 11

Physical Science
Accredited textbooks for grade 11
 Grade 11
Physical Science
Mechanics
Part 1
Vectors in 2 dimensions
Unit 1
Resultant of perpendicular vectors
 Before getting started
NB with your physics exam papers
• Question 1 – Always Multiple-Choice questions.
• Question 2 – Vectors.
• Question 3 – 7 (Newton’s Laws questions).
• Question 8 – Light, reflection, refraction and waves. (not in syllabus)
• Question 9 – Electrostatics.
• Question 10 – Electromagnetism.
• Question 11 – Electricity.
• Question 2 to 11 will always have definition questions!!!
• https://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/NationalSeniorCertificate(NSC)Exa
minations/Grade11Exams.aspx for previous exam question examples
 Unit 1: Resultant of perpendicular vectors
• Recap from grade 10:
• Scalar:
• A physical quantity that only has magnitude (size) and no
direction.
• E.g. => time, mass, length/distance, area, volume, temperature.
• Vector:
• A physical quantity that has magnitude AND direction.
• Forces!!!, velocity, acceleration, weight.
• Resultant**:
• A single vector that indicates the magnitude and direction of 2
or more vectors.
 Vectors in 1 dimension (Grade 10)
• This typically means in one straight line. DIRECTION!!!! Because we are dealing with
vectors
• Either up or down or
• Left or right / forward or backwards.
Either up or down Left to right / forward and
backwards

Vector left

Vector up Vector down

Vector right
 Constructing a vector
• By using arrows
• Length indicates magnitude
(according to a scale),
arrowhead indicates direction.
• This is called a vector diagram.
• In 1D vector drawings – a
direction must be chosen as
positive and the opposite
direction as negative.
• The combined effects of vectors in
1 dimension is referred to as the
resultant.
 Example 1:
• 2 forces act on an object.
• The forces are the following:
• 20 Newton's (N) right.
• 30 Newton's right.

• By using a vector diagram (scale 1 cm = 5N), draw the resultant

force on the object.
• Calculate the resultant force mathematically.
 Answer
• Choose right as positive.
• Therefore to draw the vector diagram will be the following:
• F1 = 20 N F2 = 30 N

Fresultant = 50 N right
Mathematically = right as positive => Fresultant = F1 + F2
= +20 + (+30)
= 50 N right
 Example 2
• 3 forces act on an object.
• F1 is 30 N up.
• F2 is 40 N down.
• F3 is 50 N down.

• Calculate the resultant graphically (1cm =10 N) and

mathematically:
 Answer
Graphically

F1 = 30 N F2 = 40 N

FR = 60 N down
F3 = 50 N
 Mathematically
• Choose up as positive (+)

• Therefore FR = F1 + F2 + F3
• = +30 + (– 40) + (– 50)
• = -60 N
• NB!!! Sign must be positive to
indicate direction
• Therefore = 60 N down
 Exercise
• 4 forces act on an object:
• F1 = 30 N right.
• F2 = 50 N left.
• F3 = 80 N right.
• F4 = 60 N Left.

• Calculate the resultant force graphically (2cm = 10 N) and

mathematically.
 Mathematically
• Choose right as + (entirely up to you)

• Therefore:
• FR = F 1 + F 2 + F 3 + F 4
• = +30 + (-50) + (+80) + (-60)
• =0N

• The forces cancel each other out.

• This means the object has no changed and is in the same position.
 Addition of vectors that are perpendicular to
each other (2 dimension)
• In Grade 11 we go one step further.
• We can make use of a Cartesian plane. F2 = 2N
• Horizontal component – x-axis.
• Vertical component – y-axis.

• Where the x and the y axis intercept, it

is the origin.
• The origin will be our starting point.
 Example Question

• 2 forces act on an object. F2 = 2N

• F1 = 4 N right
• F2 = 2 N up

• 1. Calculate the Resultant F1 = 4N

force graphically (1cm =
0.5 N).
• 2. Calculate the Resultant
force of the 2 forces
mathematically.
 Answer Graphically
• There are 2 methods to calculate the net resultant graphically.

• Tail-to-head method.
• Drawing a vector from an origin point and where the 1st
vector ends (head of the arrow), you start the next vector at
that position.
• Tail-to-tail (Parallelogram) method.
• Draw all vectors from the origin point and make use of a
parallelogram form to find the resultant.
Tail-to-head
method
FResultant
Drawing a F2 = 2N Fy
vector from an 90°
origin point and
where the 1st Fx
vector ends
F1 = 4N
(head of the
arrow), you
start the next
vector at that Scale: (1cm = 0.5 N)
position.
 Tail-to-Tail
method
Fy
Draw all vectors FR
F2 = 2N
from the origin
point and make
use of a
parallelogram to Fx
find the resultant. F1 = 4N

In these cases a
rectangle
Scale: (1cm = 0.5 N)
 Resultant force graphically
• Make use of your ruler and measure from the origin point to the end.

4 cm

8 cm
Scale: (1cm = 0.5 N)
 To get direction
• Take a protractor and measure from the positive y-axis clockwise to get the
direction (NB!!!). The Y-axis at the top is always 0°.

64°

Scale: (1cm = 0.5 N)

Tail-to-tail method
 To calculate
mathematically
• By making use of Pythagoras’
theorem to calculate the
magnitude of the resultant. F2 = 2N
• We working with right- 90°
angled triangles

• Therefore:
• r2 = x2 + y2 F1 = 4N
= 42 + 22
= 20
r = √20
= 4.472135955
= 4.47 N
 Calculate direction
mathematically
• Using trigonometry.

• Tan θ = opposite/adjacent
• Therefore:
• Tan θ = opposite/adjacent
= 2/4
= 0,5 90°
θ = Tan-1 (0.5) θ

= 26.56505118°
Therefore actual direction will be
90 – 26.56505118 = 63.43494882°
= 63.34°
 Note:
• If you have the values for
all the sides
• X – component.
• Y – component.
• Resultant component.

• You may use Sin θ, Cos θ

or Tan θ to find the
direction.
 Making use of Sin θ and Cos θ

Sin θ Cos θ
Sin θ = opposite / hypotenuse (y/r) Cos θ = adjacent / hypotenuse (x/r)
= 2/4.472135955 = 4/4.472135955
= 0.4474272931 = 0.8948545861
θ = Sin 0.44742135955 θ = Cos 0.894854861
= 26,58° = 26,56°

Therefore the direction is: Therefore the direction is:

90° - 26,58° = 63,42° 90 - 26,56° = 63,43°

 Example
• There are 2 forces acting on an object.
• Horizontal components
• F1 = 45 N left
• Vertical components
• F2 = 50 N down.
• Calculate:
• 1. graphically (2 cm = 10 N) the resultant force and direction
using the tail to head method.
• 2. Calculate the resultant force and direction mathematically.
Graphically

180° + 45°
225°
 Mathematically
• Draw yourself a right angle triangle with the components.
• If the vertical value is down and the horizontal is to the left, draw a not
to scale right angle triangle starting with the y-component using the
tail-to-head method.
• Use Pythagoras to get the resultant.
• Then use trig to get the angle. F r = ? Fy = 50 N

• Because you are in the lower left

quadrant add 180° to get the direction. θ
Fx = 45 N
 Mathematically
• By making use of Pythagoras’ • Using trigonometry.
theorem to calculate the
magnitude of the resultant. • Tan θ = opposite/adjacent

• Therefore:
• Therefore: • Tan θ = opposite/adjacent
• r2 = x2 + y2 = 50/45
= 452 + 502 = 1.1111111
= 4525 θ = Tan-1 (1.1111111)
= 48°
r = √4525
Therefore actual direction will be
= 67.26 N 180 + 48 = 228°
 Exercise (homework)
• 1. Two forces are applied to an object:
3 N right and 5 N up.
Determine the resultant force and direction of the 2 forces
• 1.1 graphically (1cm = 1N) using the tail-to-head method.
• 1.2 mathematically.
• 2. Two forces are applied to an object:
6 N left and 5 N up.
Determine the resultant force and direction of the 2 forces
• 2.1 graphically (1cm = 1N) using the tail-to-tail method.
• 2.2 mathematically.