Vector addition : graphs and components - Lab Report Example

Vector Addition: Graphs and Components Vector Addition: Graphs and Components The experiment’s objective was to determine the vector addition by both graphical and algebraically. A force table was used to perform the investigation by graphically marking the vectors and later confirming the results, algebraically, that the resultant force acting on a stationary object is zero.IntroductionVector quantities can be defined as physical quantities that have both direction and magnitude such as acceleration, force, velocity etc.

(Park, 2002). Vectors are mathematical representation of vector quantities. Vectors can be manipulated either mathematically or by geometrically by the method of tail-to-head method. Understanding vectors and how they add up is a very important basic knowledge that is required in almost every field of physics. In this experiment we used a force table to mark the vectors and then measured the angle readings from the marked scale. Mass and hence the weight of the hanging were also noted. The vectors were resolved in the x and the y components by considering two perpendicular Cartesian axes.

These components formed the opposite and the adjacent sides of a right angle triangle. By using the measured theta, the components were resoled using trigonometric ration as follows; And Where  are the x and y components of the vectors.  is the angle between the x- axis and the unresolved vector.Discussion and conclusion.We compare the two different methods of combining vectors. We studied and measured the parameters of both forms. In table 3.2 shows the resolved magnitude and direction of vectors.

The resultant net force was found to be 0.0365N with associated uncertainty as 0.02935. This uncertainty seems to be very large. In the second part, we performed the tail to head addition and the results was close to a closed triangle. Taking the large error into consideration, the geometrical addition will form a closed triangle, indicating that the net force which acts on an object at equilibrium is zero. ReferenceParks, J. E. (2002). Selected Introductory Physics Experiments. Knoxville: Thomson Custom Publishing