EXPERIMENT NO.

1
VECTORS: ANALYTICAL, GRAPHICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL METHODS
Objective
Demonstrate the addition of several vectors to form a resultant vector using a force table.
Demonstrate the relationship between the resultant of several vectors and the equilibrant of those
vectors.
Illustrate and practice graphical and analytical solutions for the addition of vectors.
Theory
Vectors are ubiquitous in physics, and, in addition, you find them everywhere. Velocity,
acceleration, displacement and force are all vector quantities. In this lab we will explore various methods for
adding and resolving vectors. In the process you will have the opportunity to improve your skill with
geometry and trigonometry, and you will also work with a piece of equipment, the force table, which allows
you to visualize the addition and resolution of vectors.
Specifically, in the course of this lab you will learn to add and to resolve vectors using three distinct
methods
1. Graphical
2. Analytical
3. Experimental, using the force table
1. Graphical Addition of Vectors
When two forces act upon an object, their combined effect can be determined by adding the
vectors which represent the forces. One method of performing this addition is known as the graphical
method of vector addition. In this method, arrows are drawn in the direction of the forces. The lengths of the
arrows are proportional to the magnitudes of the vectors. The resultant is formed by constructing a
parallelogram with the two components serving as sides as shown in figure 1.

Fig. 1 Resultant of two forces

Equipment List
Force Table Apparatus
Weight Sets and Weight Hangers
Pulleys, Ring, and String
Ruler
Protractor
Experimental Procedures
A) Two Vectors
1. Place a pulley at the 30 degrees mark on the force table and place a total of 0.100 kg (including the
mass holder) on the end of the string. Calculate the magnitude of the force (in N) produced by the
mass. Assume that g=9.80 m/s2. Assume three significant figures for this and for all other calculations
of force. Record the value of this force as F1 in Data Table 1.
2. Place a second pulley at the 197 degrees mark on the force table and place a total of 0.200 kg on the
end of the string. Calculate the force produced and record as F2 in Data Table 1.
3. Determine by trial and error the magnitude of mass needed and the angle at which it must be located
for the ring to be centered on the force table. Jiggle the ring slightly to be sure that this equilibrium
condition is met. Attach all strings to the ring so that they are directed along a line passing through
the center of the ring. All the forces will then act through the point at the center of the table. Record
this value of mass in Data Table 1 in the row labeled Equilibrant FE1.
4. Calculate the force produced (mg) on the experimentally determined mass. Record the magnitude
and direction of this equilibrant force FE1 in Data Table 1.
5. The resultant FR1 is equal in magnitude to FE1, and its direction is 180 degrees from FE1. Record
the magnitude of the force FR1, the mass equivalent of this force, and the direction of the force in
Data Table 1 in the row labeled Resultant FR1. Resultant= - Equilibrant
Calculation
1. Find the resultant of these two applied forces by scaled graphical construction using the
parallelogram method. Use a ruler and protractor to construct vectors with scaled length and
direction that represent F 1 and F2. A convenient scale might be 1.00cm=0.10N. All directions are
given relative to the force table. Account for this in the graphical construction to ensure the proper
angle of one vector to another. Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant from your
graphical solution and record them in the appropriate section of Calculations Table 1.
2. Use trigonometry to calculate the components of F1 and F2 and record them in the analytical
solution portion of Calculations Table 1. Add the components algebraically and determine the
magnitude of the resultant by the Pythagorean theorem. Determine the angle of the resultant from
the arc tan of the components. Record those results in Calculations Table 1.
3. Calculate the percentage error of the magnitude of the experimental value of F R compared to the
analytical solution for FR. Also calculate the percentage error of the magnitude of the graphical
solution for FR compared to the analytical solution for FR. For each of those comparisons, also
calculate the magnitude of the difference in the angle. Record all values in Calculations Table 1.

B) Three Vectors

Given the vectors: 100 g times 9.8 m/s2, at an angle of 20 degrees, 100 g times 9.8 m/s2, at an
angle of 120 degrees, 50 g times 9.8 m/s2, at an angle of 205 degrees, each angle being measured from
the x-axis.
Data and Result

Force
F1
F2
Equilibrant FE1
Resultant FR1

Force
F1
F2
Resultant FR1

Force
F1
F2
Resultant FR1

Table 1: Experimental
Mass (kg)
Force (N)
0.1 kg
0.2 kg

Table 1: Graphical
Mass (kg)
Force (N)
0.1 kg
0.2 kg

Mass (kg)
0.1 kg
0.2 kg

Direction
30
197

Direction
30
197

Table 1: Analytical
Force (N)
Direction
30
197

x-component

Error Calculation
Percent Error magnitude Experimental compared to Analytical=__________%
Percent Error magnitude Graphical compared to Analytical=__________%
Absolute Error in angle Experimental compared to Analytical=__________degrees
Absolute Error in angle Graphical compared to Analytical=__________degrees
|ExperimentalAnalytical|
Error exp=
x 100
Analytical
Absolute Error= ( experimental )(analytical)

Force
F1
F2
F3
Equilibrant FE2
Resultant FR2

Table 2: Experimental
Mass (kg)
Force (N)
0.1 kg
0.1 kg
0.050 kg

Direction
20
120
205

y-component

Force
F1
F2
F3
Resultant FR2

Force
F1
F2
F3
Resultant FR2

Table 2: Graphical
Mass (kg)
Force (N)
0.1 kg
0.1 kg
0.050 kg

Mass (kg)
0.1 kg
0.1 kg
0.050 kg

Direction
20
120
205

Table 2: Analytical
Force (N)
Direction
20
120
205

x-component

y-component

Error Calculation
Percent Error magnitude Experimental compared to Analytical=__________%
Percent Error magnitude Graphical compared to Analytical=__________%
Absolute Error in angle Experimental compared to Analytical=__________degrees
Absolute Error in angle Graphical compared to Analytical=__________degrees
Questions
1. Two forces are applied to the ring of a force table, one at an angle of 20.08, and the other at an angle
of 80.0 . Regardless of the magnitudes of the forces, choose the correct response below.
The equilibrant will be in the (a) first quadrant (b) second quadrant (c) third quadrant (d) fourth quadrant
(e) cannot tell which quadrant from the available information.
2. Suppose the same masses are used for a force table experiment as were used in Part 1, but each
pulley is moved 180 so that the 0.100 kg mass acts at 200 , and the 0.200 kg mass acts at
270 . What is the magnitude of the resultant in this case? How does it compare to the resultant in
Part 1?
3. Pulleys introduce a possible source of error because of their possible friction. Given that they are a
source of error, why are the pulleys used at all? What is the function of the pulleys?