Experiment 2: Vector Addition

Laboratory Report
Kate Auditor, Bethanee Baes, Keana Balverde, Lina Lou Berdijo
Department of Occupational Therapy
College of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa Street, Manila Philippines

Abstract

1. Introduction
In order to explain the various
phenomena, man utilizes many physical
quantities. Furthermore, each of these
quantities can be described as scalar or
vector quantity. Scalar quantity is a quantity
that is described by a magnitude. Examples
of these would include quantity of mass,
time, distance, and temperature. On the
other hand, vector quantity is a quantity that
is completely described by both magnitude
and direction. Velocity and force are
instances of this.
A distinguishable characteristic of a
scalar quantity is the ability of the quantities
to be used (added, subtracted, etc.) like
ordinary numbers. Contrast to this, a vector
quantity is more complex because it is also
described by direction, aside from just
magnitude.
Vectors are manipulated by many
mathematical operations, generally called
vector algebra. However, in this experiment,
the focus would be on addition of vectors.
Vector addition is a process of combining
two or more vectors. The sum of two or
more vectors would then be called a
resultant vector (R). Different ways can be

used to achieve the resultant. Hence for this

experiment, the group aims to: (1) determine
the resultant displacement by the component
method, parallelogram method, and polygon
method; (2) show that vector addition is
commutative and associative.
2. Theory
Different ways can be utilized to find
the resultant vector.
One way to determine the resultant
vector is through the use of graphical
methods. An example of this is the polygon
method. Graphing the vector quantities in a
head-to-tail manner, resultant vector is
calculated by lining up the head of the last
vector to the tail of the first vector. This
method is used to find the resultant of three
of more vectors and states that
the resultant of two or more vectors is a
vector that is equivalent in its physical
effects to the action of the original vectors.
This entails that no order of addition must be
followed, as long as the direction and length
of each vector is not changed. Another
method is the parallelogram method. This
involves drawing the vector to scale in the
indicated direction, sketching the same
length parallel to the original vector, all
which creates a parallelogram. A diagonal
from the origin drawn inside is the resultant
vector. Because it follows a parallelogram,
only two vectors can be accommodated,

Vy

Vy

R=

indicating that a formula must be used to

accommodate the other vectors. Since this is
the case for the experiment, below are the
formulas used:
(A + B) + C = resultant
A + (B + C) = resultant
Note that the letters represent the
given vectors. The resultant vectors from the
parentheses will be derived from the
parallelogram.
Analytical methods were also used to
determine the resultant. Most commonly
used the Pythagorean Theorem; however
this is only limited to vectors that are
perpendicular to each other. If vectors
involved are oriented to each other at angles
other than 90 degrees, the analytical method
called component method can be used. This
includes drawing each vector and finding
each x-component and y-component of each
vector using the formula:

sin
ycomponent=( magnitude of given v ector )

cosine
xcomponent =( magnitude of given vector )
After which, the sum of the xcomponents
and
y-components
are
calculated:

V x = A x+ B x+C x
V y =A y +B y + C y
Their sum was then used to find the
resultant. The Pythagorean Theorem is
utilized here:

Unlike the graphical method that uses a

protractor to measure the direction of the
resultant, the angle is found from the
definition of tangent function:
=tan1

a
b

3. Methodology
The meter stick, chalk, graphing
paper and protractor were used to determine
the resultant displacement for this
experiment.
For the first activity, the Polygon
Method, the initial position of the group
member was marked. This member
underwent the following displacement,
successively: 1m E, 2.5m N, and 3m 30 N
of W. As this member's final position was
marked, an arrow from the initial to the final
position was drawn; representing the
resultant displacement. Using the ruler and
protractor, the magnitude and direction of
the resultant displacement was determined.
This member was then asked to walk in the
following order: 2.5m N, 3m 30 N of W
and 1m E. Then the resultant displacement
was noted. It was repeated, following this
order: 3m 30 N of W, 2.5m N and 1m E.

obtained in activities 1 and 2, were

computed.
4. Results and Discussion

Image 1: Polygon Method

In the second activity, the following

displacements were used:
= 1m E,
=
2.5m N, and = 3m 30 N of W. A suitable
scale was utilized to determine the resultant
displacement with the use of the
Parallogram Method. A and B were added
for the first determination. Its resultant was
then added to C. Afterwards, B and C were
added for the second determination. The
result was then added to A.

Image 2: Determining the Resultant Displacement

for the Parallelogram and Component Method

The Component Method was used to

determine the resultant displacement in the
third activity. Using this resultant as the
accepted value, the % error of magnitude
and direction of the resultant displacement

Data gathered using the Polygon

method,
Parallelogram
method
and
Component method are all summarized in
Tables 1, 2, and 3 respectively. A total of
three trials were done using the polygon
method, while a total of two trials were done
using the parallelogram method.
Table 1. Polygon Method
Trial 1
Trial 2
Magnitud
e of R
% Error of
Magnitud
e
Direction
of R
% Error of
Direction

Trial 3

4.5m

4.5m

4.5m

4.41%

4.41%

4.41%

67
N of W
1.76%

69
N of W
1.17%

68
N of W
0.29%

All the trials were made using the

polygon method. However, each trial
differed in the sequence of successive
displacements. All three trials showed a
4.5m magnitude of R. Using the resultant
from the component method as the accepted
value, a 4.41% error of magnitude was
derived for all the three trials. For the
direction of R, varied results were measured:
67 N of W from trial 1, 69 N of W from
trial 2, and 68 N of W from trial 3. Using
the direction from the component method as
the accepted value, a 1.76%, 1.17% and
0.29% error were computed for trials 1, 2
and 3 respectively.

1m, Trial 1 showed a length of 4.4 cm,

hence a magnitude of 4.4 m, while trial 2
showed a length of 4.3 cm was measured,
hence a magnitude of 4.3 m. Computing for
the % error of magnitude using the results
from the component method as the accepted
value, a 2.09% error of magnitude for trial 1
and a 0.23% error of magnitude for trial 2
were gotten. A direction of 65 N of W,
which yields a 4.69% error of direction and
68 N of W, which yields a 0.29% error
were measured and calculated from trials 1
and 2 respectively.
Table 3. Component Method
Displacemen x-component
t
A
1

y-component
0

2.5

-2.6

1.5

x=1.6 y =4
Magnitude of R = 4.3m, Direction of
R = 68.2 N of W

Table 2. Parallelogram Method

Scale: ___1 cm 1m______

Trial 1

Trial 2

Length of arrow
respecting R
Magnitude of R

4.4 cm

4.3 cm

4.4 m

4.3 m

% Error of
Magnitude
Direction of R

2.09%

0.23%

65
N of W
4.69%

68
N of W
0.29%

% Error of Direction

Trials 1 and 2 were executed using

the Parallelogram method. However, each of
the trial had a different set of determination
(see Methodology). With a scale of 1 cm:

Using given values of A = 1m, B =

2.5m N and C = 3m 30 N of W (see
Methodology), the x-component of each
displacement were computed using cosine: 1
for A, 0 for B and -2.6 (negative because of
its direction) C, yielding a summation of
-1.6. Using sine, the y-component for each
displacement was calculated: 0 for A, 2.5 for
B and 1.5 for C, yielding a summation of 4.
With the sum of the x-component and the ycomponent, a magnitude of 4.3 m and a
direction of 68.2 N of W were derived.
5. Conclusion
Vector
quantities
cannot
be
manipulated like scalar quantities. Instead,
graphical and analytical methods must be
used to determine the resultant. Three of
those methods are the Polygon method,

which uses the head-to-tail graphical

fashion, Parallelogram method, which uses
the concept of parallelograms, and
Component method, which accommodates
vectors with angles other than 90 degrees.
From the experiment, results from the
polygon method showed a 4.5 m magnitude
of R on all trials done. This demonstrates
that vector addition is commutative, noting
that the successive displacements were
varied in each trial. From the Parallelogram
method, a resultant of 4.4m in trial 1 and
4.3m in trial 2 were drawn. This deviates
from the theory of vector addition being
associative and is most likely perhaps by
error that this property was not shown.
Lastly, a resultant of 4.31m was derived
using the component method.

2) Differentiate distance from displacement.

Is it possible for you to have no
displacement even though you have
travelled a great distance? Explain by
giving examples.

3) To go to a grocery, a student has to walk

8.25m S, 4.0 m E, and then 2.5m SE from
his dormitory. Specify the distance and
bearing of the grocery relative to the
students dormitory.

6. Applications
1) You are given only the magnitudes of two
vectors: 3 units and 4 units. What is the
range of magnitude of resultant? What
must be the angle between these vectors
to get A) maximum resultant B) minimum
resultant C) a resultant of magnitude 5
units D) a resultant of 6 units?

7. References
Pedrosa, Ciriaco O.P., College Physics: A
Laboratory Giode and Notebook, Manila:
UST Cooperative, 1981.
Siddons, Collins, Experiments in Physics.
Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1988.