Vectors

Ronald Patrick Pascual, Whaynne Joi Pegollo, Nikko Jay Perez,

Beverly Pilapil, Adah Rachel Solante, Mark Ivan Rivera Group 5
Physics Department, Adamson University, Ermita, Manila
Abstract
The experiment focused on studying vectors and determining its
equilibrant and resultant using component method, graphical method and
force table. Magnitude in terms of dynes and direction were given and were
then used by the experimenters in graphical and component method.
Furthermore, the magnitudes were converted to mass for the force table and
the equilibrant was then adjusted so that the ring perfectly fits the center of
the force table. Percent error was then computed by the experimenters
considering component method results to be the standard value. The
experimenters used the result of component method as the standard value
and observed that the force table result was more accurate than the result of
graphical method.
1. Introduction
Vector's
concepts
and
calculation methods lie at the heart
of
the
physics
curriculum,
underlying most topics covered in
introductory
courses
at
the
university level. In physics and
engineering, a vector is typically
regarded as a geometric entity
characterized by a magnitude and
a
direction.
Velocity
and
acceleration of a moving object
and forces acting on it are all
described by vectors. Several
measurement methods were used
namely: the force table, component
method and graphical method.
This experiment focuses on the
vector quantities. It aims to study
vectors the graphical method of
determining
the
resultant
of
several forces, as well as to
determine the equilibrant of two or
three given forces using the
component method or the force
table. The results gathered were
then compared in terms of percent
error.
2. Theory

A physical quantity is a physical

property that
can
be
quantified by measurement.
Physical
quantity
can
be
measured by either scalar quantity
or vector quantity. A scalar quantity
is a measurement medium strictly
in magnitude only. Time, volume,
speed
and
temperature
are
examples of scalar quantity. A
vector quantity is a measurement
that refers to the magnitude with
direction. It is typically represented
by an arrow whose direction is the
same as that of the quantity and
whose length is proportional to the
quantitys magnitude. Arrows are
used to represent vectors. The
direction of the arrow gives the
direction of the vector. The
magnitude defines as how much or
how strong. The direction tells
where it lies. Some of its examples
are velocity, displacement, and
force. The addition of scalar
quantities is to simply add the
magnitudes
algebraically.
The
addition of vectors is produce by
two or more vectors. Vector
quantities are measured with
direction.

Graphical method is a simple

way to measure a vector. It has two
kinds: parallelogram and polygon
method.
A parallelogram method is
translated to a common origin.
The method involves drawing the
vectors to scale in the indicated
direction,
sketching
a
parallelogram around the vectors
such that the resultant is the
diagonal of the parallelogram.
A polygon method also called
tip to tail method. It is a method to
find the resultant of two or more
than two vectors. Once all vectors
are chained together, the resultant
vector is simply a vector chained
from tail of the first vector to the
tip of the last vector. This was used
by the experimenters to find the
resultant of the given forces.
In terms of component method,
the resultant is the sum of all
vectors with respect to the angle. It
is drawn from the Pythagorean
Theorem. The resultant lies on the
formula,
(1)
where

is the summation of all x

components

and

is

the

summation of y components. Force

components are solved using the
equation,

Equilibrant
Equilibrant is a force capable
of balancing forces to equilibrium.
The equilibrant must be equal in
magnitude but opposite in direction
of the resultant. Force formula was
used by the experimeters to find
the value of masses used on the
force table.
It is given by,
(5)
where F is the force or weight, m is
the magnitude in dynes and g is
the gravitational force equal to
980m/s.
Percent Error
Percent error is important in
solving a problem. It is the
difference between experimental
and
standard
value,
as
a
percentage of the standard. To
determine the percent error, the
experimenters used the formula,

(6)
where the standard value is the
magnitude of the resultant from
component
method
and
the
experimental value was either the
magnitude of the resultant from
graphical method or the magnitude
of the resultant from the force
table.

(2)
3. Methodology

(3)
Finding an angle
The formula in finding an
angle is given by
(4)

Force table, weight holders, set

of masses, graphical paper, ruler,
pencil and protractor were the
materials
used
by
the
experimenters
throughout
the
experiment.

The given forces F1, F2 and F3

were used by the experimenters to
find the masses for the force table.
Fifteen (15) grams, twenty (20)
grams and twenty-five (25) grams
were the computed values and
were then placed on their specified
direction deducting five (5) grams
(weight of weight holders). The
equilibrant, the fourth vector, was
then estimated until suspended in
such a way that the ring exactly fits
the center of the force table.
Polygon method or tip-tail
method
was
used
by
the
4. Data and Results
Table
1
presents
the
magnitudes of forces with its
direction. The datum was used by
the experimenters to calculate and
analyze resultant and equilibrant.
Table 1.

Table
2
presents
the
resultants and equilibrant observed

experimeters for graphical method.

The forces were graphed in a
1:3000 centimeter scale. The
magnitude of the resultant was
then measured by a ruler and the
angle by a protractor.
In component method, the
experimenters directly substituted
the values for component x and
component y. The resultant was
then computed by the use of
Pythagorean Theorem and the
angle using tangent function.

and
measured
by
the
experimenters. Both of the results
were accurate having a little
difference
compared
to
the
standard value.
Table 2.
Table
3
presents
the
standard value calculated by the
use of analytical method or

component method. The percent

error of both A and B were very
little though, the force table was
more accurate with 0.46130% error
compared to graphical method with
0.90979% error.
Table 3.
5. Conclusion
The objective of determining
the equilibrant and resultant of the

given forces was satisfied by the

experimenters after they have
studied the vectors and graphical
methods during the methodology.
In calculating the resultant and
equilibrant
using
component
method, geometric sum was used
by the experimenters, since, the
vectors does not have the same
line of action. It produced the
standard measurement for the
computed
force.
Component
method, thus, produce the real
value
because
it
undergoes
statistical computations.
In determining the equilibrant
and resultant of the given forces
using the force table and graphical
method,
the
experimenters
observed that the results of the
force table were more accurate
compared to the results of the
graph.
References:
1. Physics Education. 2003.
"Initial understanding of
vector concepts among
students in introductory
physics course, from
http://physicseducation.net/
docs/AJP-71-630-638.pdf
2. Apostol, T. (1967). Calculus,
Vol. 1: One-Variable Calculus
with an Introduction to
Linear Algebra. John Wiley
and Sons. From,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E
uclidean_vector
3. Apostol, T. (1969). Calculus,
Vol. 2: Multi-Variable
Calculus and Linear Algebra
with Applications. John Wiley
and Sons. From,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E
uclidean_vector
4. CC-BY-SA. Physical Quantity.
From,
http://www.princeton.edu/~a
chaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/
Physical_quantity.html
5. Anonymous. Vectors. From,
http://global.britannica.com/
EBchecked/topic/1240588/v
ector
6. Anonymous. Examples of
Vector and Scalar Quantity in
Physics.
From,http://examples.yourdi
ctionary.com/examplesvector-scalar-quantityphysics.html
7. Anonymous. VectorsFundamentals and
Operations. From,
http://www.physicsclassroom
.com/Class/vectors/u3l1e.cf
m
8. Fendt, Walter. The University
of Oklahoma. From
http://www.nhn.ou.edu/walk
up/demonstrations/WebTutor
ials/HeadToTailMethod.htm