General Physics 1

Lab Manual 02

Experiment 2
Title: Vector Addition
Apparatus:
ME-9447 Force Table, 3 pulleys and pulley clamps, 3 mass hangers, mass set, tied strings,
and protractor

Objective:
The purpose of this experiment is to sue the force table to experimentally determine the force
which balances two other forces. This result is checked by adding the two forces by using
their components and by graphically adding the forces.

Learning outcome:
Upon the completion of the experiment, the student will be able to:
Determine the force which balance two other forces by experiment,
Could check the experiment result with the methods of components and graphically adding.

Procedure:
1.

Place the apparatus on a level table.

2.

Sketch out the desirable free body diagram (refer figures below).

3.

Loosen the turning knob of the pulley bracket. Mount the three pulley bracket on the
protractor plate.

4.

Set the pulley bracket to desirable angle. Tighten the turning knob.

5.

Adjust both of the screws at the side of the bracket. Do not over tighten nor loosen the
screws. Make sure the pulley can turn smoothly.

6.

Place the center of the tied strings to the center of the protractor.

7.

Place the three cords to the three pulleys.

8.

Place a weight hanger to each of the cord.

9.

Place the desirable weights to each of the hanger and observe the movement of the ring.

10.

If the rings touch the center rod, this implies that the system is no in equilibrium
position.

General Physics 1

11.

Lab Manual 02

Hang the following masses on two of the two pulleys and clamp the

pulleys at the

given angles:
Force A = 50 g at 0
Force B = 100 g at 120
Result:

Method

Equilibrant (FE)
Magnitude

Direction ()

Experiment 1:
Experiment 2:
Experiment 3:

Theory:
This experiment finds the resultant of adding two vectors by three methods: experimentally,
by components, and graphically.
Experiment Method
Two forces are applied on the force table by hanging masses over pulleys positioned at
certain angles. Then the angle and mass hung over a third pulley are adjusted until it
balances the other two forces. This third force is called equilibrant (FE) since it is the force,
which establishes equilibrium. The equilibrium is not the same as the resultant (FR). The
resultant is the addition of the two forces. While the equilibrant is equal in magnitude to the
resultant, it is in the opposite direction because it balances the resultant (see Figure 1). So the
equilibrant is the negative of the resultant:

Figure 1: The Equilibrant Balances the Resultant

General Physics 1

Lab Manual 02

Component Method
Two forces are added together by adding the x and y components of the forces. First the two
forces are broken into their x and y components using trigonometry:

Where Ax is the x-component of vector F A and x is the unit vector in the x-direction. See
Figure 2. To determine the sum of FA and FB, the components are added to get the
components of the resultant FR:

To complete the analysis, the resultant force must be in the form of a magnitude and a
direction (angle). So the components of the resultant (RX and RY) must be combined using
the Pythagoras Theorem since the components are at right angles to each other:

And using trigonometry gives the angle:

tan ( ) =

Ry
Rx

Figure 2: Components
Graphical Method
Two forces are added together by drawing them to scale using a ruler and protractor. The
second force (FB) is drawn with its tail to the head of the first force (FA). The resultant (FR)
is drawn from the tail of the FA to the head FB. See Figure 3. Then the magnitude of the
resultant can be measured directly from the diagram and converted to the proper force using
the chosen angle. The angle can also be measured using the protractor.

Figure 3: Adding Vectors Head to Tail