DATE: January 9, 2023

LAB#: 3

TITLE: Parallelogram Law of Vectors

AIM: a) To find the weight of a given body using the parallelogram law of vectors.

b) To determine the relative density of solid and liquid.

APPARATUS: wooden board, stone, thread, pulleys, water, liquid (oil), beaker, slotted weights.

THEORY: If two forces (vectors) acting simultaneously at a point are represented in magnitude
and direction by the adjacent sides of a parallelogram, then their resultant is represented in
magnitude and direction, by the diagonal of the parallelogram passing through the point of
intersection of the two forces.

If a third force W is so applied at the point of intersection of the above two forces that the
common point of application of all the forces is in equilibrium, then the third force is equal in
magnitude but opposite in direction to the sum of the other two forces. This force is called the
equilibrant force.

Let P and Q be magnitudes of two forces acting at a point and θ be the angle between them. Let
R and R’ be the magnitude of their resultant and equilibrant, then R’=R=√(P2+Q2+2PQcos θ)

VARIABLES: Manipulated: Liquid used (water or liquid)

Responding: Angle

Controlled: Stone used

DIAGRAM:

DRAWING SHOWING THE SETUP OF THE EXPRIMENT

PROCEDURE:

1) A thread of appropriate length, carrying two weight hangers at its end was passed over
the pulleys and slotted weights were added in the weight hangers, as required. Another
thread is tied to the first, at the point O, between the two pulleys.
2) The given solid, whose weight is to be determined, was suspended at the end of the
string. Care was taken to see that the weight did not touch the wooden board but hung
freely. The body was pulled down a little and released to eliminate the friction of the
pulleys.
3) The weights P and Q were adjusted so that the knot was near the middle of the wooden
board. When the forces were in equilibrium, the position O of the knot was marked on the
paper, just underneath it, using a fine point pencil. The directions OX, OY and OZ of the
strings were also marked on the paper. The weights P and Q on the hangers (including the
weight of the hangers) were noted.
4) The paper was removed, and the three points marked on the paper were joined and
extended to meet at the point O. The three lines thus obtained represented the directions
of the forces acting at point O.
5) Steps 3-4 were repeated for when the stone was submerged in water and oil.
6) The forces P and Q were represented by OA and OB along OX and OY respectively and
a CONVENIENT SCALE was chosen. The parallelogram OADB is completed and the
diagonal OD was drawn. Then the parallelogram law of forces, OD gives the resultant of
P and Q in magnitude and direction. Since the system is in equilibrium, the resultant of P
and Q is equal and opposite to the third force, namely the weight of the body. The
diagonal OD is measured, and the weight of the given body is found by multiplying OD
with the scale used. The weight obtained above is also verified by using the equation: W
= √(P2+Q2+2PQcosθ).
 RESULTS:

TABLE SHOWING SHOWING RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS COLLECTED

FROM THE EXPERIMENT

Body In: Trial P/g Q/g OA/cm OB/cm Diagonal Unknown Mean/N
wt wt OD/cm wt
W = OD
x scale/N
Air 1 100 100 5 5 5.1 1.001
2 200 200 5 5 5 0.981 (1.001+0.981)/2=
0.991
Water 1 100 100 5 5 4.3 0.844 (0.844+0.863)/2=
0.854
2 200 200 5 5 4.4 0.863
Liquid 1 100 100 5 5 4.4 0.863 (0.863+0.8829)/2
=0.859
2 200 200 5 5 4.5 0.8829
 DIAGRAMS

Air 1

Air 2
Water 1

Water 2
Liquid 1

Liquid 2
CALCULATIONS:

USING SCALE : 100g = 5cm

1) For stone in air using 1N:

𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑂𝐷 = (360 − (120 + 120)) ÷ 2

= 60°

● The length of OD received =

2 2
𝑅= (𝑃 + 𝑄 − 2𝑃𝑄𝑐𝑜𝑠θ)

2 2
= 5 + 5 − 2 × 5 × 5𝑐𝑜𝑠(60))

= 5𝑐𝑚

2) For stone in water using 1N:

𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑂𝐷 = (360 − (131 + 131)) ÷ 2

= 98 ÷ 2

= 49°

● Length of OD received =

2 2
𝑅= (𝑃 + 𝑄 − 2𝑃𝑄𝑐𝑜𝑠θ)

2 2
= 5 + 5 − 2 × 5 × 5𝑐𝑜𝑠(49))

= 4. 1469𝑐𝑚 𝑜𝑟 4. 15𝑐𝑚 𝑡𝑜 2𝑑𝑝

3) For stone in liquid using 1N:

𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑂𝐷 = (360 − (126. 5 + 126. 5)) ÷ 2

= 107 ÷ 2

= 53. 5°

● Length of OD received =

2 2
𝑅= (𝑃 + 𝑄 − 2𝑃𝑄𝑐𝑜𝑠θ)

2 2
= 5 + 5 − 2 × 5 × 5𝑐𝑜𝑠(53. 5))

= 4. 5𝑐𝑚

● Weight of body in air W1 =

Using Scale : 5cm = 100g
5𝑐𝑚 → 𝑔 = 5 × 20 = 100𝑔
100𝑔 = 0. 1𝑘𝑔
0. 1𝑘𝑔 × 9. 81𝑁/𝑘𝑔 = 0. 981𝑁

● Weight of body in water W2 =

Using Scale : 5cm = 100g
4. 15𝑐𝑚 → 𝑔 = 4. 15 × 20 = 83𝑔
83𝑔 = 0. 83𝑘𝑔
0. 83𝑘𝑔 × 9. 81𝑁/𝑘𝑔 = 8. 1423𝑁
= 8. 14𝑁 𝑡𝑜 2𝑑𝑝

● Weight of body in liquid W3 =

Using Scale : 5cm = 100g
4. 5𝑐𝑚 → 𝑔 = 4. 5 × 20 = 90𝑔
90𝑔 = 0. 90𝑘𝑔
0. 90𝑘𝑔 × 9. 81𝑁/𝑘𝑔 = 8. 829𝑁
 ● Relative density of the solid =
𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑖𝑟 9.981
𝑈𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦𝑠 = 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑖𝑙×𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟
= 8.83×8.14
= 0. 0136 = 0. 014

● Relative density of liquid =

𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑖𝑟×𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑖𝑙 0.981×8.83

𝑈𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦𝑙 = 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑖𝑟×𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟
= 0.981×8.14
= 1. 0847 = 1. 085

PRECAUTIONS:

1. Ensure that the weights are not touching the sides or bottom of the container.
2. Ensure that the weights P and Q are balanced before placing the weights in the fluid.

SOURCES OF ERROR:

1. The lines drawn on the paper may not be accurate.

2. Residual oil may be on the weights which would alter the original mass of the rock when
placed in a new fluid.

CONCLUSION:

The weight of an object is dependent on the buoyancy of the fluid it is suspended into. Water has
the highest buoyancy, oil is the second highest buoyancy, and air has the lowest buoyancy force.
Parallelogram law –O/R/R

Appropriate sub-headings Marks Awarded

Correct marking of the direction known forces without parallax 1

Appropriate scale to represent P and Q the know forces 1

Correct completion of vector diagram to show the resultant 1

(unknown weight)

Appropriate tabulation column with title and units 1

Recording the values( lengths) of P and Q in the tabulation 1

column from the vector diagram

Shows that resultant( unknown weight) = length x scale used 1

(Weight in air, water and given liquid) 1

Recording the actual values of P, Q and the angle bet. Vectors in 1
the tabulation column

Drawing of parallelogram 3

Adequate 1

size 1
Proportionality 1
Appropriate 1
Total 12