Name: Audrey Harper

Physics 450
Week 7 Lab Work

This week’s lab has two parts. The first part uses a simulation from PhET with the
University of Colorado. The simulation is attached to your lab assignment, as was this
file.
Click here for alternative Physics Classroom vector addition site
Below, you will start with that; it’s part 1. Next, you will do experiment 3.2 from the
text.

Part 1

Directions: Type your answers to the questions below using the Vector Addition
simulation.
***Note that this sim now uses the Cartesian trigonometry system.

PhET Vector Addition

Learning Goals: Students will
 Explain vector representations in their own words
 Convert between the of angular form of vectors and the component form
 Add vectors

1. You take a walk in the park for 15 steps using a compass that points 25º North of East.
 How would you use the simulation to represent your path?

 Explain why the same representation works for illustrating this different scenario: You
drive at 15 miles/hour using a compass that points 25º North of East. The different
scenarios work because the question is directional, and we are given its angle relating to
the x-axis as well as the consistent distance travels. They are also not relative to a given
unit.
 Write another scenario using different units that could also be represented the same.
You swim 15 meters using a compass that points 25 degrees North of East.

2. In the simulation, a vector is described by four measurements: R, Ө, Rx, and Ry. Put a
vector in the work area, and then investigate to make sense of what these four things
represent. In your investigation, use a wide variety of vector measurements and all three

NorthStar Academy062f32a2a0acae0f03c0d4069cf6722e44b6bc31.docx
This study source was downloaded by 100000891263070 from CourseHero.com on 09-22-2024 09:35:25 GMT -05:00
Page 1 of 4

https://www.coursehero.com/file/37866283/PHYS450-7-lab-2docx/
 Name: Audrey Harper

styles of Component Displays. Then, describe in your own words what the
measurements represent and what “component” means.
|R| represents the magnitude(hypotenuse). Ө appears to be the angle of the vector R x
represents the x-component while Ry represent the y-component. Components are the
quantities along the x- axis and y-axis.

3. Suppose you are driving about 14 miles/hour with a compass reading of 35°north of east.
 Represent the vector using the simulation (you won’t be able to get it completely exact
but come up with the closest estimate). How fast is your car traveling in the north
direction? How fast in the east direction? The car is traveling 8mi/h north and 11mi/h
east.
 Figure out how the components could be calculated using geometry if you couldn’t use
the simulation. Without the simulation, we would use Sin Ө, Cos Ө, and Tan Ө.
 Check your ideas by testing with other vectors and then write a plan for finding the
components of any vector. To find the x-component, we use
Cos Ө = adjacent/hypotenuse. To find the y- component, we use Sin Ө =
opposite/hypotenuse,

4. To get to the sandwich shop, you left home and drove 6 miles south and then 10 miles
west.
 If a bird flew from your house to the sandwich shop in a straight line, how far do you
think the bird would fly? Use the simulation to check your reasoning. We can use the
Pythagorean Theorem to answer this question because we are dealing with a right
triangle, so we can use the following formula: 6 mile+10 mile=11.7 mile
 What direction should it fly from your house to get to the shop? using a compass that
points 31° South of west.
 Explain how you could use the simulation to answer these questions.

Have the y-axis represent south and the x-axis represent the west. Draw a vector starting
from 6 units up on the right axis. Draw it to the x-axis until it reaches 10 units to the
right. Then document the angle and magnitude given.

 Explain how you could use geometry equations to answer these questions. You can use
the Pythagorean theorem to determine the distance that the bird flew. From there, we can
use sohcahtoa to determine the angle and direction the bird took.

NorthStar Academy062f32a2a0acae0f03c0d4069cf6722e44b6bc31.docx
This study source was downloaded by 100000891263070 from CourseHero.com on 09-22-2024 09:35:25 GMT -05:00
Page 2 of 4

https://www.coursehero.com/file/37866283/PHYS450-7-lab-2docx/
 Name: Audrey Harper

 Suppose you and a friend are test-driving a new car. You drive out of the car dealership
and go 10 miles east, and then 8 miles south. Then, your friend drives 8 miles west, and 6
miles north.
 If you had the dealer’s homing pigeon in the car, how far do you think it would have to
fly to get back to the dealership? Use the simulation to test ideas.
32 miles if the bird took the same path as the two friends.
 The distance that the bird has to fly represents the sum of the 4 displacement vectors. Use
the simulation to test ideas you have about vector addition. After your tests, describe how
you can use the simulation to add vectors.

This is a visual representation of how this simulation can help add vectors.
10 + 8 + 8 + 6 = 32

(questions adapted from Trish Loblein, accessed at the PhET website phet.colorado.edu)

Part 2

(This report is set up a bit for you. Remove comments in parentheses when you create
your report. ANOTHER NOTE—To measure the angles of the lines between cities, place
a cross hair on your starting city. The cross hair should have lines parallel to the sides of
your paper. The top of your paper is north (90), the left side is west (180), the bottom is
south (270) and the right side is east (0 or 360). These angles are Cartesian. If you prefer
to work in compass degrees, you must tell me that from the start.
Name:

Title: Experiment 3.2 Vector Addition

Date:

Purpose:

Theory: Maps are proportional scaled down versions of objects on Earth.

What ever your map is printed as, you can use the actual Google Earth Phoenix to
Washington DC distance of 3200Km to develop your scale. Just lay your ruler down on

NorthStar Academy062f32a2a0acae0f03c0d4069cf6722e44b6bc31.docx
This study source was downloaded by 100000891263070 from CourseHero.com on 09-22-2024 09:35:25 GMT -05:00
Page 3 of 4

https://www.coursehero.com/file/37866283/PHYS450-7-lab-2docx/
 Name: Audrey Harper

Phoenix and measure your centimeter distance to Washington DC. Dividing 3200Km by
your cm measure will give you the scale of your map. Use that for all other
measurements. Use Pythagorean theorem on the final component sums to see if you get
back the 3200Km resultant.

Procedures: refer to Experiment 3.2 in Module Three of Wile. Exploring Creation With
Physics. Apologia. Please note that the instructions call for a second two stage trip of
your own choosing. Ignore that and just do the first requested trip from Phoenix to
Bismarck to Washington DC.

Results: (these are measurements)

Magnitude Direction
Phoenix-Bismarck
Bismarck-D.C.
Phoenix-D.C.

Calculations: (here add your two components to get a calculated distance from Phoenix
to DC and the calculated angle vs the one you measured along the line connecting
Phoenix to Washington DC. Also calculate your percent difference). % difference is
calculated like so: (experimental result-expected result) / expected result X 100 = %
difference

Ignore any instructions to carry out a 2 part second trip. Just the one above is fine.

Conclusions: (here you would have the computed value and the measured value and the
percent difference.

For future reference, you can use this method: you first need to know the "expected
result." For this lab that can be the amount directly measured, the angle or the direct
measure to the final destination. Then the amount calculated will be your "experimental
result." In this lab the calculated amount comes from the two stages that are vectorially
added. For future reference, there's usually an expected result that is a known quantity or
the accepted value of some calculated quantity.

Possible Sources of Error:

Consider maps versus actual terrain
Consider the instruments used.
Do you get more accuracy with more measurements or calculations?

NorthStar Academy062f32a2a0acae0f03c0d4069cf6722e44b6bc31.docx
This study source was downloaded by 100000891263070 from CourseHero.com on 09-22-2024 09:35:25 GMT -05:00
Page 4 of 4

https://www.coursehero.com/file/37866283/PHYS450-7-lab-2docx/
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)