Physics 12 (Nelson) - Section 1.3 Solution
Physics 12 (Nelson) - Section 1.3 Solution
Physics 12 (Nelson) - Section 1.3 Solution
The measured length of the total displacement vector is 7.7 cm. Convert the length to kilometres.
! 0.3 km
!dT = 7.7 cm " = 2.3 km
1 cm
The measured angle ! is 34° .
Statement: The total displacement is 2.3 km [E 34° N].
! !
!d x = " !d sin # !d y = + !d cos"
= "(355 km)(sin 42.0°) = +(355 km)(cos 42.0°)
!d x = "238 km !d y = +264 km
Statement: The components of the displacement are !d x = 238 km [W] and !d y = 264 km [N] .
!
(c) Given: !d = 32.3 m [E 27.5° S]
Required: Δdx; Δdy
Analysis: Draw the displacement vector, and then use trigonometry to determine the
components. Use east and north as positive.
Solution:
! !
!d x = + !d cos" !d y = " !d sin #
= +(32.3 m)(cos 27.5°) = "(32.3 m)(sin 27.5°)
!d x = +28.7 m !d y = "14.9 m
Statement: The components of the displacement are !d x = 28.7 m [E] and !d y = 14.9 m [S] .
! !
!d x = " !d sin # !d y = " !d cos#
= "(125 km)(sin 31.2°) = "(125 km)(cos 31.2°)
!d x = "64.8 km !d y = "107 km
Statement: The components of the displacement are !d x = 64.8 km [W] and !d y = 107 km [S] .
$ 162.78 km '
= tan "1 &
% 200.59 km )(
! = 39°
Statement: The total displacement of the trip is 260 km [W 39° N].
! ! !
3. Given: !d1 = 12 km [N]; !d2 = 14 km [N 22° E]; !d3 = 11 km [E]
!
Required: !d
! ! ! !
Analysis: !d = !d1 + !d2 + !d3 . Determine the x- and y-components of the given displacement
vectors. Add these x- and y-components to calculate the x- and y-components of the total
displacement. Finally, use the Pythagorean theorem and tangent ratio to determine the total
displacement vector. Use east and north as positive.
Solution: For the first vector,
!d1x = 0 km
!d1y = +12 km
$ 24.98 km '
= tan "1 &
% 16.244 km )(
! = 57°
Statement: The total displacement of the helicopter is 3.0 ! 101 km [E 57° N].
The measured length of the total displacement vector is 7.0 cm, measured to the nearest
millimetre. Convert to kilometres.
r 1 km
!d = 7.0 cm "
1 cm
= 7.0 km
The measured angle ! is 0° , measured to the nearest degree.
Statement: The total displacement is 7.0 km [N].
(b) Both an algebraic solution and a component solution are given.
(i) Algebraic!Method: !
Required: !d ; the angle for !d , !
! ! !
Analysis: !d = !d1 + !d2 . To determine the magnitude of the displacement, use the cosine law.
To calculate the angle ! , use the sine law.
The angle ! 2 is
! 2 = 50° + 11°
! 2 = 61°
From the cosine law,
a 2 = b2 + c 2 ! 2bccos A
!2 ! 2 ! 2 ! !
"d = "d1 + "d2 ! 2 "d1 "d2 cos# 2
= (7.81 km)2 + (5.10 km)2 ! 2(7.81 km)(5.10 km)(cos 61°)
!2
"d = 48.385 m 2
!
"d = 6.956 m (two extra digits carried)
!
"d = 7.0 m
From the sine law,
sinC sin A
=
c a
sin ! 3 sin ! 2
! = !
"d2 "d
!
"d2 sin ! 2
sin ! 3 = !
"d
(5.10 m )(sin 61°)
=
(6.956 m )
= 0.6412
! 3 = sin #1 0.6412
! 3 = 39.88°
(0.014 km ) + (6.9562 km )
2 2
=
!
!d = 7.0 km
$ 6.9562 km '
= tan "1 & )
% 0.014 km (
! = 90°
Statement: The total displacement of the trip is 7.0 km [N].
(c) Answers may vary. Sample answer: The answers obtained by the three methods were the
same (no percent difference). It is reasonable that the methods in part (b) gave the same results
because care was taken to carry extra digits while calculating. In both cases, the final answer was
given to two significant digits, consistent with the given information. It is somewhat surprising
that the result of part (a) agreed with the mathematical methods because it is difficult to draw or
measure an angle to 1° precision. It is also difficult to draw arrows tip to tail to 1 mm precision.
! ! !
2. Given: !d1 = 5.0 cm [E 30.0° N]; !d2 = 7.5 cm [E]; !d3 = 15.0 cm [E 10.0° S]
! !
Required: !d ; the angle for !d , !
! ! ! !
Analysis: !d = !d1 + !d2 + !d3 . Decide on a scale and then draw each vector to scale on a
coordinate axis. Draw the total displacement vector.
Solution: An appropriate scale is 1 cm : 2 cm. The lengths of the arrows for the displacement
vectors are
! 1 cm
!d1 = 5.0 cm " = 2.5 cm
2 cm
( )
! 1 cm
!d2 = 7.5 cm = 3.75 cm
2 cm
( )
! 1 cm
!d3 = 15.0 cm = 7.5 cm
2 cm
! !
Using a ruler and protractor, draw the three vectors placing the tail of !d2 at the tip of !d1 , and
! ! ! !
the tail of !d3 at the tip of !d2 . Draw the total displacement vector !d from the tail of !d1 to
!
the tip of !d3 . Measure the length of the displacement vector, and measure the angle the
displacement vector makes to the horizontal.
The measured length of the total displacement vector is 13.5 cm, to the nearest millimetre.
Draw the displacement vector, and then use trigonometry to determine the components. Use east
and north as positive.
! !
Solution: !d x = " !d sin # !d y = + !d cos"
= "(2.50 m)(sin 38.0°) = +(2.50 km)(cos 38.0°)
!d x = "1.54 m !d y = +1.97 m
Statement: The components of the displacement are !d x = 1.54 m [W] and !d y = 1.97 m [N] .
!
4. Given: !d = 25.0 m [E 30.0° N]
Required: !d x ; !d y
Analysis: Draw the displacement vector, and then use trigonometry to determine the
components. Use east and north as positive.
Solution:
! !
!d x = + !d cos" !d y = + !d sin "
= +(25.0 m)(cos 30.0°) = +(25.0 m)(sin 30.0°)
!d x = +21.6 m !d y = +12.5 m
Statement: The components of the displacement are !d x = 21.6 m [E] and !d y = 12.5 m [N] .
= (54 m ) + ( 24 m )
2 2
!
!d = 59 m
Statement: The length of the displacement vector is 59 m.
(b) Required: !
Analysis: Use the tangent ratio to calculate ! .
!
$ #d '
y
Solution: ! = tan "1 & ! )
&% #d x )(
$ 24 m '
= tan "1 &
% 54 m )(
! = 24°
Statement: The vector points [E 24° N].
! ! !
6. Given: !d1 = 15.0 km [W]; !d2 = 45.0 km [S]; !d3 = 32 km [N 25° W]
!
Required: !d
! ! ! !
Analysis: !d = !d1 + !d2 + !d3 . Determine the x- and y-components of the given displacement
vectors. Add these x- and y-components to calculate the x- and y-components of the total
displacement. Finally, use the Pythagorean theorem and tangent ratio to determine the total
displacement vector. Use east and north as positive.
Solution: For the first vector,
!d1x = "15.0 km
!d1y = 0 km
For the second vector,
!d2 x = 0 km
!d2y = "45.0 km
For the third vector,
!
!d3x = " !d3 sin #
= "(32 km)(sin 25°)
!d3x = "13.52 km (two extra digits carried)
!
!d3y = + !d3 cos"
= +(32 km)(cos 25°)
!d3y = +29.00 km (two extra digits carried)
= ( 28.52 km )2 + (16.00 km )2
!
!d = 33 km
!
$ #d '
y
! = tan "1 & ! )
&% #d x )(
$ 16.00 km '
= tan "1 & )
% 28.52 km (
! = 29°
Statement: The total displacement of the driver is 33 km [W 29° S].
! ! !
7. Given: !d1 = 2.5 m [W 30.0° S]; !d2 = 3.6 m [S]; !d3 = 4.9 m [E 38.0° S]
!
Required: !d
! ! ! !
Analysis: !d = !d1 + !d2 + !d3 . Determine the x- and y-components of the given displacement
vectors. Add these x- and y-components to calculate the x- and y-components of the total
displacement. Finally, use the Pythagorean theorem and tangent ratio to determine the total
displacement vector. Use east and north as positive.
Solution: For the first vector,
!
!d1x = " !d1 cos#
= "(2.5 m)(cos 30.0°)
!d1x = "2.165 m (two extra digits carried)
!
!d1y = " !d1 sin #
= "(2.5 m)(sin 30.0°)
!d1y = "1.250 m (two extra digits carried)
For the second vector,
!d2 x = 0 m
!d2y = "3.6 m
= (1.696 m )2 + ( 7.867 m )2
!
!d = 8.0 m
!
$ #d '
y
! = tan "1 & ! )
&% #d x )(
$ 7.867 m '
= tan "1 &
% 1.696 m )(
! = 78°
Statement: The total displacement is 8.0 m [E 78° S].
! !
8. (a) Given: !d1 = 2.70 km [E 25.0° N]; !d2 = 4.80 km [E 45.0° S]
Required: !d x ; !d y
! ! !
Analysis: !d = !d1 + !d2 . Determine the x- and y-components of the given displacement
vectors. Add these x- and y-components to calculate the x- and y-components of the total
displacement. Use east and north as positive.
Solution: For the first vector,
!
!d1x = + !d1 cos"
= +(2.70 km)(cos 25.0°)
!d1x = +2.4470 km (two extra digits carried)
= (5.8411 km )2 + ( 2.2530 km )2
!
!d = 6.26 km
$ #d '
y
! = tan "1 & )
&% #d x )(
$ 2.2530 km '
= tan "1 & )
% 5.8411 km (
! = 21.1°
Statement: The total displacement of the boat is 6.26 km [E 21.1° S].
= ( 2191.989 km )2 + ( 703.664 m )2
= 2302.164 km
!
!d = 2.30 " 103 km
$ #d '
y
! = tan "1 & )
&% #d x )(
$ 703.664 km '
= tan "1 & )
% 2191.989 km (
! = 17.8°
Statement: The total displacement is 2.30 ! 103 km [W 17.8° N].
r r
10. Given: !d1 = 25 km [N]; !dT = 62 km [N 38° W]
!
Required: !d2
r r r
Analysis: !dT = !d1 + !d2 . Determine the x- and y-components of the given displacement
vectors. Subtract these x- and y-components to calculate the x- and y-components of the second
displacement. Finally, use the Pythagorean theorem and tangent ratio to determine the second
displacement vector. Use east and north as positive.
Solution: For the first vector:
!d1x = 0 km
!d1y = 25 km
For the total vector,
!
!d x = " !d sin #
= "(62 km)(sin 38°)
!d x = "38.171 km (two extra digits carried)
!
!d y = !d cos"
= (62 km)(cos 38°)
!d y = 48.857 km (two extra digits carried)
= ( "38.171 km )2 + ( 23.857 km )2
!
!d2 = 45 km
!
$ #d '
2y
! = tan "1 & ! )
&% #d2x )(
$ 23.857 km '
= tan "1 & )
% 38.171 km (
! = 32°
Statement: The second displacement is 45 km [W 32° N].
11. Answers may vary. Sample answer: The length of the total displacement vector is determined
by how the two displacement vectors line up.
If the second vector points west, parallel to the first vector, then the total displacement is as large
as possible: 450 km [W] + 220 km [W] = 670 km [W]
If the second vector points east, opposite to the first vector, then the total displacement is as
small as possible: 450 km [W] + 220 km [E] = 230 km [W]
If the second vector points in any other direction, the magnitude of the total displacement is
between 230 km and 670 km.
12. Answers may vary. Sample answer: Vector addition is commutative. This means that it does
not matter what order you use when you add two vectors. You can put the tail of the second to
the tip of the first, or you can put the tail of the first to the tip of the second. You get the same
total vector either way.