ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
College of Science Physics Department
I. Objectives
a. Compare and contrast resultant and equilibrant.
b. Determine the resultant of vectors using the force table, graphical method, and
analytical method.
c. Solve problems involving resultant vectors.
II. Introduction
In physics, there are two kinds of quantities: scalar and vector quantities. Scalar quantities are
described entirely by a number and a unit and represent only magnitude. On the other hand,
vector quantities possess both magnitude and direction and hence their mathematical treatment is
much more complex. Thus, these two types of quantities differ with methods of addition. The
addition of scalars strictly follows algebraic rules strictly according to units alone, but the
addition of vectors must take care of the magnitude and the direction as well.
The resultant vector refers to the sum of two or more vector quantities representing the
general effect of the vectors under discussion. There are three basic means of finding a resultant
vector and they include: graphical method, analytical method and force table. In the graphical
method, one draws the arrows representing the vector head to tail and this visually shows the
resultant. The force table method uses physical masses to represent forces acting in different
directions. It balances the system with an equilibrant force. Though these two methods give an
approximation, the analytical method is the most precise by using mathematical calculations,
including algebraic addition and the component method.
It is important to understand these methods in physics because vectors play an important
role in many real-world applications, such as motion, forces, and equilibrium. Mastering vector
addition allows us to understand the interaction of several forces, which is a crucial concept in
fields such as engineering, mechanics, and physics research.
III. Materials
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ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
College of Science Physics Department
1. Force table
2. Weight holders
3. Set of masses
4. Graphical paper
5. Ruler
6. Pencil
7. Protractor
IV. Experiment Set up
V. Documentation
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ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
College of Science Physics Department
VI. Data
VECTOR MAGNITUDE (Dynes) DIRECTION
F1 53,900 dynes N
F2 78,400 dynes E
F3 102,900 dynes S
Equilibrant (Forte Table) 87,710 30o N of W
Resultant (Force Table) 87,710 30o S of E
Resultant (Graphical 92,000 32.5o
Method)
Resultant (Component 92,453 32o S of E
Method)
% Error (Force Table and
Component Method) 5% 6.3%
% Error (Graphical Method
and Component Method) 0.5% 1.6%
VII. Computation
dyn= g × 980 dyn/g
VECTOR MAGNITUDE MAGNITUDE (dynes) DIRECTION
F₁ 55 g 55 g × 980 dyne/g = 53,900 dyne N = 90°
F₂ 80 g 80 g × 980 dyne/g =78,400 dyne E = 0°
F₃ 105 g 105 g × 980 dyne/g = 102,900 dyne S = 270°
Equilibrant (Force Table):
E = g × 980 dyne/g
F₄ = 89.5 g
E = 89.5 g × 980 dyne/g = 87,710 dyne
Resultant (Graphical Method): F ÷ 10000
F₁ = 53,900 dyne ÷ 10000 = 5.39 dyne
F₂ = 78,400 dyne ÷ 10000 = 7.84 dyne
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ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
College of Science Physics Department
F₃ = 102,900 dyne ÷ 10000 = 10.29 dyne
= 9.2 cm × 10000 dyne/cm = 92000 dyne
Resultant (Component Method):
Vector Components:
x = F × cos(θ)
y = F × sin(θ)
x y
F₁ x = 53,900 dyne × cos (90°) = y = 53,900 dyne × sin (90°) = 53,900 dyne
0 dyne
F₂ x = 78,400 dyne × cos (0°) = 78,400 y = 78,400 dyne × sin (0°) =
dyne 0 dyne
F₃ x = 102,900 dyne × cos (90°) = y = 102,900 dyne × sin (90°) = -102,900
0 dyne dyne
Summation of Components
ΣFₓ = x₁ + x₂ + x₃ = 0 dyne + 78,400 dyne + 0 dyne = 78,400 dyne
ΣFᵧ = y₁ + y₂ + y₃ = 53,900 dyne + 0 dyne + (-102,900) dyne = −49,000 dyne
Resultant Force: R² = (ΣFₓ) ² + (ΣFᵧ) ² -> R = √(ΣFₓ)² + (ΣFᵧ)²
R = √(78,400 dyne)² + (−49,000 dyne)² = 92,453 dyne
Angle of the Resultant: θ = tan⁻¹ (ΣFₓ / ΣFᵧ)
θ = tan⁻¹ (78,400 dyne / −49,000 dyne) = 32° S of E
% Error (Force Table and Component Method):
% Error = | standard value - experimental value / standard value | × 100
% Error of Magnitude = | 92,453 dyne - 87,710 dyne / 92,453 dyne | × 100 = 5%
% Error of Direction= | 32° - 30° / 32° | × 100 = 6.3%
% Error (Graphical Method and Component Method):
% Error = | standard value - experimental value / standard value | × 100
% Error = | 92,453 dyne - 92000 dyne / 92,453 dyne | × 100 = 0.5%
% Error of Direction= | 32° - 32.5° / 32° | × 100 = 1.6%
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ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
College of Science Physics Department
VIII. Analysis
Vector addition plays an important role in physics, understanding the forces and equilibrium
particularly. The aimed of the experiment is to compare the accuracy of different methods which
is the graphical, component, and force table methods in determining what is the resultant vector.
The accuracy and precision of each method were analyzed by the comparison of their results and
calculating the percentage errors.
The force table method provided an experimental resultant force of 87,710 dynes at
30° E of S, while the component method yielded 92,453 dynes at 32°. The graphical method,
which depends on scaled vector illustration, which resulted 92,000 dynes. The component
method is typically more accurate, as it engages trigonometric calculations, lowering human
error compared to the graphical method. Percentage errors among methods was calculated, with
an error of 5% between the force table and component method and an error of 0.5% between the
graphical and component methods.
The small differences of the methods shows that even though all the three methods
are reliable and valid, yield of the analytical ways are more precise outcomes due to the
reduction of the connection on manual planning and errors of measurement. The main aspect of
the experiment is the importance of choosing the suitable method when handling with vector
analysis. The practical method provided by the force table to understand the equilibrium, while
the component method confirms a higher level of accuracy.
IX. Conclusion
In conclusion, the Vector Experiment has provided a comprehensive understanding of the
principles behind the equilibrium of forces and the methods used to calculate resultant and
equilibrant forces. By using the force table, we were able to observe how forces can be balanced
and how their magnitudes and directions affect the system as a whole. The key concept
demonstrated through the experiment was the equilibrium condition, where the resultant force
equals zero when all the forces acting on an object are balanced by the equilibrant.
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ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
College of Science Physics Department
The graphical method of vector addition was useful in visually representing the forces
involved. By drawing vectors to scale and using the head-to-tail method, we were able to find the
resultant vector and verify its magnitude and direction. This method reinforced the idea that
vectors can be broken down and analyzed in terms of their components, making complex force
systems easier to understand. The graphical approach provided a clear illustration of how vector
addition works, especially when dealing with forces acting in two dimensions.
The component method further enhanced our understanding of vector addition by breaking
each force into its horizontal and vertical components. Using trigonometric functions to calculate
the components of each force allowed us to sum the individual components and find the resultant
force. This method is particularly valuable when dealing with forces at various angles, as it
simplifies the process of finding the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector. The
accuracy of the component method was verified by comparing the results with those obtained
through the force table and graphical method.
One of the significant outcomes of this experiment was the verification of the concept of
equilibrants. The equilibrant force is the force that exactly balances the resultant force in both
magnitude and direction, effectively bringing the system into equilibrium. By carefully adjusting
the forces on the force table and measuring the equilibrant, we confirmed the relationship
between the resultant and equilibrant forces. This experiment provided a hands-on understanding
of how equilibrant forces work in practical situations.
Overall, this experiment reinforced the importance of vector analysis in understanding and
solving real-world problems involving forces. The combination of the force table, graphical
method, and component method provided a well-rounded approach to studying vector addition
and equilibrium. By applying these methods, we were able to gain a deeper insight into how
forces interact and how their effects can be quantified and analyzed. This knowledge is crucial
not only in physics but also in various engineering and real-life applications where forces must
be managed and balanced.
