EXPERIMENT 3

VECTORS – FORCE TABLE

LAB REPORT
Date ………………………………..

Name ……………………………… Partner's Name ……………………

Registration No. ………………. Registration No. ……………….......

Section …………………………. Instructor's Name …………………

I. PURPOSE:
In this experiment, you will subject an object (a ring) to two (three)
horizontal forces whose resultant is not zero, and experimentally determine
the third (fourth) force that will balance them. You will also determine this
force (magnitude and direction) computationally and graphically and
compare your answers. Thus, you will apply your knowledge of vector
addition in a practical setting.

II. INTRODUCTION - THEORETICAL BACKGROUND:

Physical quantities can be classified into either: (i) scalar quantities, or (ii)
vector quantities. A scalar quantity is defined by its magnitude only. Mass,
length, and time are scalars. On the other hand, a vector quantity is defined
by both magnitude and direction. Displacement, velocity, acceleration, and
force are vector quantities.

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Addition of scalar quantities is done algebraically. But in vector addition,
we have to take directions into consideration. A vector quantity is
represented by an arrow pointing in the direction of the vector, with its
length proportional to the magnitude of the vector.
When multiple forces act on an object, they may be replaced by a single
force called the resultant ( R ), which is their vector sum. The effect of the
resultant is equivalent to the combined effects of the forces.

Vector Addition
Graphical Methods
To represent a vector in two dimensions on graph paper, two perpendicular
axes are set up on the paper. Each axis represents a direction in actual two
dimensional space. The length scales for each axis are chosen such that the
arrow representing the vector fits within the graph paper (see Figure 3.2).
If the scales of the two axes are the same, then the angles made by the arrow
on the graph paper with the two axes are the same as the corresponding
angles of the actual vector in real space. Otherwise, the actual angles of the
vector cannot be determined from the graph and must be calculated from
the vector's components.
To find the sum or resultant of two vectors A and B , two graphical
methods, the parallelogram method and the triangle method, are used to

- Parallelogram Method
In this method we draw A on the graph paper. Then, from the tail of A ,
we draw a vector equal to B . Next, we complete the parallelogram formed
  
by these two vectors. The resultant, R  A  B , is represented by the arrow

pointing along the diagonal of the parallelogram (Figure 3.1a), beginning


at the tails of A and B (vertex a) and ending at the vertex c (i.e. vector Oc ).
Thus, the magnitude R and direction, respectively, of the resultant can be

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determined directly from the length of the diagonal arrow and the angle θ
it makes with A .

- Triangle Method
An equivalent method of finding R is to place the vectors to be added "head
to tail" (head of A to tail of B , or vice versa, Figure 3.1b). We can move a
vector around on a graph sheet as long as it retains the same magnitude
and direction. The resultant is this case is represented by the arrow pointing
from the tail of A to the head of B (Figure 3.1b). Just like in the method
above, the magnitude and direction of the resultant can be found directly

from the arrow Ob in the triangle.

a) Parallelogram method b) Triangle method

Figure 3.1: Addition of vectors.

- Polygon Method (Three or more vectors)

If more than two vectors are to be added, the head-to-tail method forms a
polygon (Figure 3.2). Figure 3.2 shows addition of four vectors; the
     
resultant R  A  B  C  D is the vector arrow from the tail of the vector A
 
to the head of the vector D . The length (magnitude) and the direction of R
can be determined from the figure.

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 Figure 3.2: Polygon Method. Addition of more than two vectors.

Analytical Method (Method of components)


Let A be a vector that lies in the xy plane (i.e., has no component along the
z-direction), with x and y components Ax and Ay, respectively, as shown in
Figure 3.3 below. We have:
Ax  A cos 
(3.1)
Ay  A sin 

where  is the angle that A makes with the positive x–axis, measured
counterclockwise (> 0).
Denoting the unit vectors in the positive x and y directions by î and ĵ ,

respectively, we have:
A  A cos  iˆ  A sin  ˆj (3.2)

Figure 3.3: Components of a vector.

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   
In order to find the vector sum R of a set of vectors A , B , C , etc… in two
dimensions, we follow the following steps:
c) Find the x and y components Ax, Bx, Cx ... and Ay, By, Cy …, for each
vector using the above equations.

d) The components can be positive or negative depending on their

direction.

e) Add up the x and y components, respectively, to get the x component

(Rx) and y component (Ry) of the resultant:

Rx  Ax  Bx  C x  
(3.3)
Ry  Ay  By  C y  

Now, the magnitude of R , denoted simply R, is: R  Rx2  Ry2  1 2 and the

direction of R is defined by the angle  it makes with the positive x-axis,
measured counterclockwise.

 Ry 
  tan  1   (3.4)
 Rx 

III. EQUIPMENT
1- Force table - Figure 3.4
2- Four weight holders 3- Four pulleys
4- Different weights 5- Different strings
6- A ring 7- A protractor

The force table, Figure 3.4, consists of a horizontal disc whose rim is
graduated in degrees from 0 to 360. The pulley clamp has an indexing
mark to indicate the angle at which the pulley is clamped.

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 Figure 3.4: Force Table.

IV. PROCEDURE - PART 1

1. On the force table:

- Clamp two pulleys at the rim of the force table such that one is at an
angle 1 and the other one at an angle 2. Hang from the former a mass
m1 and at the latter a mass m2. The values of m1 and m2 will be provided
by your instructor. Fill in the table below.

F1 = w1 = m1g = ………………… N 1 =
F2 = w2 = m2g = ………………… N 2 =

g is the acceleration due to gravity and is approximately equal to 9.80 m/s 2

near the Earth's surface. The force diagram in Figure 3.5 shows the forces.

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 Figure 3.5: Schematic setup of forces in part 1 (for the case m1 < m2)

- With the use of a third pulley and a third hanging mass find the
magnitude and direction of the equilibrium force that returns the ring to
the equilibrium position. This third force is called the balance force; it is
equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the resultant of the two
forces.

V. DATA ANALYSIS – PART 1

Find the resultant of the above two forces (magnitude, R and direction, R)
by:
a) Experimental method (Force Table)
Balance force (B)= …… g= ………………… N B =
Resultant (R)= …… g= ………………… N R =

b) Method of Components
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 c) Graphical Method
For this section, use the plot sheet below. Follow the rules explained in
the introduction of this manual.

Scale: 1 cm = …………… N
F1 = ……………………… (N) F2 = ……………………… (N)
R = ……………………… (N) R = ………………………….

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VI. PROCEDURE - PART 2

1. Follow the procedure in part 1 above to find the resultant of the three
forces with directions as shown in Figure 3.6.
Use the masses m1, m2, and m3 (provided by your instructor).
Fill in the table below.
F1 = w1 = m1g = ………………… N 1 =
F2 = w2 = m2g = ………………… N 2 =
F3 = w3 = m3g = ………………… N 3 =

Figure 3.6: Setup of forces in part 2.

(The angles you will use are not necessarily the same as in the figure)

VII. Data Analysis – Part 2

1. Find the resultant of the above three forces (magnitude, R, and
direction, R)
a) Experimental method (Force Table)
Balance force (B) = ……  g= ………………… N B =
Resultant (R) = ……  g= ………………… N R =

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b) Method of Components

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c) Graphical Method
Use the graph sheet on the next page. Follow the rules explained in the
introduction of this manual.

R = ………………………………………………………………………..

R = ………………………………………………………………………..

2. State and discuss three sources of error in this experiment.

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Scale: 1 cm = …………… N
F1 = ……………………… N 1 = ………………….
F2 = ……………………… N 2 = ………………….
F3 = ……………………… N 3 = ………………….
R = ……………………… (N) R = ………………………….

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