ADAMSON UNIVERSITY

College of Science Physics Department

I. Objectives

a. Compare and contrast resultant and equilibrant.

b. Determine the resultant of vectors using the force table, graphical method, and

analytical method.

c. Solve problems involving resultant vectors.

II. Introduction

In physics, there are two kinds of quantities: scalar and vector quantities. Scalar quantities are

described entirely by a number and a unit and represent only magnitude. On the other hand,

vector quantities possess both magnitude and direction and hence their mathematical treatment is

much more complex. Thus, these two types of quantities differ with methods of addition. The

addition of scalars strictly follows algebraic rules strictly according to units alone, but the

addition of vectors must take care of the magnitude and the direction as well.

The resultant vector refers to the sum of two or more vector quantities representing the

general effect of the vectors under discussion. There are three basic means of finding a resultant

vector and they include: graphical method, analytical method and force table. In the graphical

method, one draws the arrows representing the vector head to tail and this visually shows the

resultant. The force table method uses physical masses to represent forces acting in different

directions. It balances the system with an equilibrant force. Though these two methods give an

approximation, the analytical method is the most precise by using mathematical calculations,

including algebraic addition and the component method.

It is important to understand these methods in physics because vectors play an important

role in many real-world applications, such as motion, forces, and equilibrium. Mastering vector

addition allows us to understand the interaction of several forces, which is a crucial concept in

fields such as engineering, mechanics, and physics research.

III. Materials
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 ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
College of Science Physics Department

1. Force table

2. Weight holders

3. Set of masses

4. Graphical paper

5. Ruler

6. Pencil

7. Protractor

IV. Experiment Set up

V. Documentation

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 ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
College of Science Physics Department

VI. Data

VECTOR MAGNITUDE (Dynes) DIRECTION

F1 53,900 dynes N

F2 78,400 dynes E

F3 102,900 dynes S

Equilibrant (Forte Table) 87,710 30o N of W

Resultant (Force Table) 87,710 30o S of E

Resultant (Graphical 92,000 32.5o

Method)

Resultant (Component 92,453 32o S of E

Method)
% Error (Force Table and
Component Method) 5% 6.3%
% Error (Graphical Method
and Component Method) 0.5% 1.6%

VII. Computation

 dyn= g × 980 dyn/g

VECTOR MAGNITUDE MAGNITUDE (dynes) DIRECTION

F₁ 55 g 55 g × 980 dyne/g = 53,900 dyne N = 90°

F₂ 80 g 80 g × 980 dyne/g =78,400 dyne E = 0°

F₃ 105 g 105 g × 980 dyne/g = 102,900 dyne S = 270°

Equilibrant (Force Table):

 E = g × 980 dyne/g
 F₄ = 89.5 g
 E = 89.5 g × 980 dyne/g = 87,710 dyne

Resultant (Graphical Method): F ÷ 10000

 F₁ = 53,900 dyne ÷ 10000 = 5.39 dyne

 F₂ = 78,400 dyne ÷ 10000 = 7.84 dyne

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 ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
College of Science Physics Department

 F₃ = 102,900 dyne ÷ 10000 = 10.29 dyne

= 9.2 cm × 10000 dyne/cm = 92000 dyne

Resultant (Component Method):

 Vector Components:
 x = F × cos(θ)
 y = F × sin(θ)

x y

F₁ x = 53,900 dyne × cos (90°) = y = 53,900 dyne × sin (90°) = 53,900 dyne
0 dyne

F₂ x = 78,400 dyne × cos (0°) = 78,400 y = 78,400 dyne × sin (0°) =

dyne 0 dyne

F₃ x = 102,900 dyne × cos (90°) = y = 102,900 dyne × sin (90°) = -102,900

0 dyne dyne
 Summation of Components

ΣFₓ = x₁ + x₂ + x₃ = 0 dyne + 78,400 dyne + 0 dyne = 78,400 dyne

ΣFᵧ = y₁ + y₂ + y₃ = 53,900 dyne + 0 dyne + (-102,900) dyne = −49,000 dyne

 Resultant Force: R² = (ΣFₓ) ² + (ΣFᵧ) ² -> R = √(ΣFₓ)² + (ΣFᵧ)²

R = √(78,400 dyne)² + (−49,000 dyne)² = 92,453 dyne

 Angle of the Resultant: θ = tan⁻¹ (ΣFₓ / ΣFᵧ)

θ = tan⁻¹ (78,400 dyne / −49,000 dyne) = 32° S of E

% Error (Force Table and Component Method):

 % Error = | standard value - experimental value / standard value | × 100

 % Error of Magnitude = | 92,453 dyne - 87,710 dyne / 92,453 dyne | × 100 = 5%
 % Error of Direction= | 32° - 30° / 32° | × 100 = 6.3%

% Error (Graphical Method and Component Method):

 % Error = | standard value - experimental value / standard value | × 100

 % Error = | 92,453 dyne - 92000 dyne / 92,453 dyne | × 100 = 0.5%
 % Error of Direction= | 32° - 32.5° / 32° | × 100 = 1.6%

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 ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
College of Science Physics Department

VIII. Analysis

Vector addition plays an important role in physics, understanding the forces and equilibrium

particularly. The aimed of the experiment is to compare the accuracy of different methods which

is the graphical, component, and force table methods in determining what is the resultant vector.

The accuracy and precision of each method were analyzed by the comparison of their results and

calculating the percentage errors.

The force table method provided an experimental resultant force of 87,710 dynes at

30° E of S, while the component method yielded 92,453 dynes at 32°. The graphical method,

which depends on scaled vector illustration, which resulted 92,000 dynes. The component

method is typically more accurate, as it engages trigonometric calculations, lowering human

error compared to the graphical method. Percentage errors among methods was calculated, with

an error of 5% between the force table and component method and an error of 0.5% between the

graphical and component methods.

The small differences of the methods shows that even though all the three methods

are reliable and valid, yield of the analytical ways are more precise outcomes due to the

reduction of the connection on manual planning and errors of measurement. The main aspect of

the experiment is the importance of choosing the suitable method when handling with vector

analysis. The practical method provided by the force table to understand the equilibrium, while

the component method confirms a higher level of accuracy.

IX. Conclusion

In conclusion, the Vector Experiment has provided a comprehensive understanding of the

principles behind the equilibrium of forces and the methods used to calculate resultant and

equilibrant forces. By using the force table, we were able to observe how forces can be balanced

and how their magnitudes and directions affect the system as a whole. The key concept

demonstrated through the experiment was the equilibrium condition, where the resultant force

equals zero when all the forces acting on an object are balanced by the equilibrant.

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 ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
College of Science Physics Department

The graphical method of vector addition was useful in visually representing the forces

involved. By drawing vectors to scale and using the head-to-tail method, we were able to find the

resultant vector and verify its magnitude and direction. This method reinforced the idea that

vectors can be broken down and analyzed in terms of their components, making complex force

systems easier to understand. The graphical approach provided a clear illustration of how vector

addition works, especially when dealing with forces acting in two dimensions.

The component method further enhanced our understanding of vector addition by breaking

each force into its horizontal and vertical components. Using trigonometric functions to calculate

the components of each force allowed us to sum the individual components and find the resultant

force. This method is particularly valuable when dealing with forces at various angles, as it

simplifies the process of finding the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector. The

accuracy of the component method was verified by comparing the results with those obtained

through the force table and graphical method.

One of the significant outcomes of this experiment was the verification of the concept of

equilibrants. The equilibrant force is the force that exactly balances the resultant force in both

magnitude and direction, effectively bringing the system into equilibrium. By carefully adjusting

the forces on the force table and measuring the equilibrant, we confirmed the relationship

between the resultant and equilibrant forces. This experiment provided a hands-on understanding

of how equilibrant forces work in practical situations.

Overall, this experiment reinforced the importance of vector analysis in understanding and

solving real-world problems involving forces. The combination of the force table, graphical

method, and component method provided a well-rounded approach to studying vector addition

and equilibrium. By applying these methods, we were able to gain a deeper insight into how

forces interact and how their effects can be quantified and analyzed. This knowledge is crucial

not only in physics but also in various engineering and real-life applications where forces must

be managed and balanced.