E XPERIMENT

A6
AIM
parallelogram law of vectors.
Tofind the weight ofa given body using

APPARATUS AND MATERIAL REQUIRED

law of vector apparatus), the given body or a wooden hied.
Gravesand's apparatus (Parallelogram
two hangers with slotted weights, plumb
line, machine oil, a fineand
whose weight is to be determined,
a thin mirror strip, a
white sheet of paper, drawing pins or a cello-tape
strong thread, a half metre scale,
and a sharp pencil.

THEORY
law of forces. According to this la
The working of Gravesand's apparatus is based on the parallelogram
and direction by the two adjacent sides of a
if two forces acting at a point are represented both in magnitude and direction by the
parallelogram, then the resultant of the two forces can be represented both in magnitude
diagonal of the parallelogram drawn from the point of application of the two forces.
two known
Let P and Qbe the magnitudes of forces inclined to each other at an angle 0. If these
two
t
forces P and Qand
a third unknown force W due to the weight of the given body are
common point O such that they are in equilibrium, then the unknown force W, called the eae
made to
the
force is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the resultant R of the two forces:
weight of the given body is given by

W R=P +Q +2PQ cos0

60
 Chapter6 PARALLELOGRAM LAW OF VECTOR ADDITION

DIAGRAM

W
P R
Block P

of the three forces

(a) Gravesand's apparatus (b) Equilibrium

Fig. 6.8

PROCEDURE
on a

of plumb-line, set the board of the Gravesand's apparatus in vertical position

1. With the help a

table.
machine oil as
any friction,
use
about their axes. If there is an
2. Check that the pulleys rotate freely
the lubricant.
with drawing pins or cello-tape.
3. Fix a sheet of white paper on the drawing board
another short thread in the
tie the hangers at its two ends. Tie
4. Take a long piece of thread and at the free
o r block of unknown weight
middle of the first thread to make a knot at O. Tie the body
end of the shorter thread.

thread over the two pulleys and add slotted weights in the two hangers till the
5. Pass the longer middle of the paper.
to rest (or attains equilibrium) slightly below the
junction O of the threads comes
the table.
Ensure that neither the weights nor the threads touch the board or

for the junction O, w e disturb the

6. In order to ensure a position of no-friction or perfect equilibrium
m o v e back towards the position
of no-friction. As it moves,
knot O slightly and leave it. It tends to of no-friction and w e mark this
in the position
we tap the board gently.
Then the knot c o m e s to rest
where the
different directions and in each c a s e mark the point
point. Repeat the procedure along of O.
these marked points gives the m e a n position
knot comes to rest. The centre of
first place the mirror strip below the thread OA o n the
7. To mark the direction of the three forces,
between the thread and its
of the eye so that there is n o parallax
paper [Fig. 6.9]. Adjust the position mirror where the image of the thread leaves
at the edges of the
image. Mark the points A, and A,
the mirror.
by points (1) B, and B, along the string OB,
other two forces
8.
Similarly, mark the directions of the
OW.
nd (i)
W, and W along the string the slotted weights. Note the weight of each
9. Remove the body and the two hangers alongwith
and the slotted weights on it.
hanger
61
 LAB MANUAL PHYSICS-XI

10. Remove the paper from the board. Join the

three pairs of marked points and extend these
B Mirror strip
lines to meet at O. These three lines represent
the directions of the three forces P,Q and W. B2
11. Next choose a suitable scale, say 50 g wt =1 cm B
and cut-off lengths OA and OB to represent the
forces P and Q respectively acting at point O.
With OA and OB as adjacent sides, complete the
parallelogram OACB [Fig. 6.8(a)]. Ensure that W1
the scale chosen is such that the parallelogranm
obtained is fairly large.
12. Draw the diagonal OC. It represents the W,
resultant R of P and Q. Mark the arrow heads to
indicate the directions of forces. Also, produce
WO to meet BC in C'. If the experiment has been W

performed correctly, WO produced will pass Fig. 6.9 Marking the directions of the
three forces
through C. Measure the angle COC'. marbs.
ma tker

13. Repeatthe above experiment for two

mean value of the unknown weight W.
different sets of slotted weights for P and 0.Caleilae
e th

14. Take a spring balance of suitable range. Find its least count and zero error
(if any). Find the:
weign
of the given body by using spring balance and verify the result.
15. Paste the three observation sheets in your practical noteb0ok and make a record of the
as given below.
observations
ons

OBSERVATIONS
A. For unknown weight
Weight of each hanger = .
wt
Scale: 1 cm = 8wt (say, s g wt)

Force Weight of hanger + Slotted weights

Length Unknown wt
S.No. P Representing Representing OC L W L x S LCOC"
length 0A Q
(g wt) length 0OB (cm) (g wt)
(cm) (g wt)
(cm)
1.

2.

3.

Mean value of W= 8 wt

B. For verification of weight

Least count of the spring balance = g wt

Zero error, e=. - 8 wt

Zero correction, C= 8 wt

62
 Chapter 6 PARALLELOGRAM LAW OF VECTOR ADDITION
Weight of the body as measured by the spring balance, W% =- &wt

Corrected weight, W' = W +C

Percentage error =W'- W x 100 =

W'

RESULT

1. Unknown weight of the given body, W =

.
wt
2. Percentage error = %

PRECAUTIONS

1. The board of Gravesand's apparatus must be set

with the help of
vertical a
plumb-line.
2. The pulleys should be frictionless so as to rotate freely about their axes.
3. The weights should hang freely and must not touch the board.
4. The weights in the hangers should be so adjusted that the meeting point O of the three forces lies
slightly below the middle of the sheet.
5. The correct position of O should be ascertained by pulling down the body of unknown weight
slightly and then releasing it. See that the position of point O is same as before.
6. The directions of three forces should be marked either by using a thick mirror strip or placing a thin
strip lengthwise with the help of a sharp pencil.
7. While marking the points, the parallax must be removed between the thread and its
image
8. The points should be marked on the sheet when all the weights are at
rest.
9. The directions of the forces should be shown by arrows.
10. The scale should be so selected as to get a
fairly large parallelogram.
11. The zero error in the spring balance must be noted carefully and necessary correction should be
applied.

SoURCES OF ERROR
1. Slight friction may be present at the after
pulley even
oiling.
2. Hangers and slotted weights may have weights slightly different from the marked values.

3. Slight error due to parallax may occur while marking the position of the thread.

DISCUSSION
1.
The point of no-friction for the junction of three threads can also be hecked by alternative
method. Move the junction to the extreme left, extreme right, uppermost and lowermost positions
an

where it can stay and friction is maximum. The centre of these four positions is the point of
no-friction.
2. The
weights of hangers and slotted weights must be checked by a spring balance. The actual values
may be quite different from the marked values.

63