What’s your vector, Victor ?

Getting Started:
Go to the following site: http://phet.colorado.edu. Click on ‘play with simulations’.
On the left side, scroll down to find “Math Tools” and click it. New icons appear on the right
side of the screen. Scroll down on the right side until you see “Vector Addition” and click on
the icon. Click on ‘run now’. The program may take a few minutes to load. Maximize the
screen.

Play around with the program a bit to get comfortable with it.

Questions:
Before you begin these questions… under Component Display click the circle next to “Style 2” and
Check the box next to “Show Grid”. These settings will not change for the rest of the activity. Answer
all questions in complete sentences.

1. Drag a vector into the grid.

a. What does Rx represent?
b. What does Ry represent?
c. What does Θ represent?
d. What does |R| represent?

2. Why does the vector have an arrowhead? What does that arrowhead indicate?

3. Put the tail of a vector at (0,0) and stretch it out to give it some length. Point it so it is
completely horizontal.
Fill in the table with appropriate values, numbers.

Rx Ry Θ |R|

Do these values make sense?

4. Drag another vector into the grid. Point it so it is completely vertical. Move your vertical
vector so that its tail is touching the tip of the first horizontal vector on your screen.
For this new vector, fill in the table.

Rx Ry Θ |R|

Do these values make sense?

5. What have you begun to create? Draw what you see on the screen TO SCALE on your
own paper.

6. Click on the “Sum” button. A new vector appears on your screen. Drag it so that the tail of
the vector is at (0,0). Fill in the table.

Rx Ry Θ |R|

Do these values make sense?

7. Draw the new vector TO SCALE on the picture you drew for #5.

How do you believe the value for |R| was determined?

Calculate it on your own to verify the computer’s result. SHOW ALL YOUR WORK!

8. Does the method you used work for all triangles?

If not, what special types of triangles does this method work for?
9. Click on ‘clear all’ to erase the screen. Create a new vector that starts at (0,0) and is not
completely horizontal or completely vertical. Fill in the table.

Rx Ry Θ |R|

Do these values make sense?

10. What type of triangle is made?

Draw what you see on the computer screen on your own page TO SCALE.
Using the value of |R| and Ry, how would you calculate Rx?

Verify the value of Rx by calculating it on your own. SHOW ALL YOUR WORK!

11. Create another vector that is not completely horizontal or completely vertical. Drag it so
that its tail is touching the tip of the vector from #9. Fill in the table.

Rx Ry Θ |R|

Do these values make sense?

12. Add the vector from #11 to your picture. Be sure to draw it TO SCALE on your paper.
Click the “Sum” button. Move the new vector so that its tail is at (0,0). Draw this vector to
scale on the drawing you made in #9 and 11.
13. For your newest ‘sum’ vector, fill in the table.

Rx Ry Θ |R|

Do these values make sense?

14. For your newest ‘sum’ vector, how was Rx determined?

How was Ry determined?

How was |R| determined?

Try to verify the results the computer gave you by calculating the |R| yourself.
SHOW ALL YOUR WORK!

15. In general, if you know the measurements of the horizontal parts (components) of vectors
and you know the measurements of the vertical components of vectors, how can you find
their sum (resultant)?

16. If you are given the angle and the resultant, how can you find the components?
 What’s your vector, Victor ? KEY
Getting Started:
Go to the following site: http://phet.colorado.edu. Click on ‘play with simulations’.
On the left side, scroll down to find “Math Tools” and click it. New icons appear on the right
side of the screen. Scroll down on the right side until you see “Vector Addition” and click on
the icon. Click on ‘run now’. The program may take a few minutes to load. Maximize the
screen.

Play around with the program a bit to get comfortable with it.

Questions:
Before you begin these questions… under Component Display click the circle next to “Style 2” and
Check the box next to “Show Grid”. These settings will not change for the rest of the activity. Answer
all questions in complete sentences.

1. Drag a vector into the grid.

a. What does Rx represent? the projection of R into the x direction,
b. What does Ry represent? the projection of R into the y direction,
c. What does Θ represent? the angle between R and the x axis
d. What does |R| represent? the actual length of R

2. Why does the vector have an arrowhead? What does that arrowhead indicate?
So that the vector can show direction

3. Reshape your first vector so that it is completely horizontal. Move that vector to (0,0).
Fill in the table with appropriate values, numbers.

Rx Ry Θ |R|
EX: 19 0 0 19

Do these values make sense? Yes, if it is completely horizontal, it should have no

dimension in the y direction

4. Drag another vector into the grid. Reshape it so it is completely vertical. Move that vector
so that the tail of the arrow is touching the tip of the other vector on your screen.
For this new vector, fill in the table.

Rx Ry Θ |R|
EX: 0 18 90 18

Do these values make sense?yes, if completely vertical, angle should be 90 and there
should be no dimension in x direction
5. What have you begun to create? Draw what you see on the screen TO SCALE on your
own paper.

6. Click on the “Sum” button. A new vector appears on your screen. Drag it so that the tail of
the vector is at (0,0). Fill in the table.

Rx Ry Θ |R|
EX: 19 18 43.5 26.2

Do these values make sense? yes, angle looks appropriate size and length of R looks
appropriate

7. Draw the new vector TO SCALE on the picture you drew for #5.

How do you believe the value for |R| was determined?

By Pythagorean theorem x2 + y2 = R2

Calculate it on your own to verify the computer’s result. SHOW ALL YOUR WORK!

192 + 182 = R2

361 + 324 = R2 685 = R2 sqrt (685) = R 26.2 = R

8. Does the method you used work for all triangles? no

If not, what special types of triangles does this method work for?

Only right triangles

9. Click on ‘clear all’ to erase the screen. Create a new vector that starts at (0,0) and is not
completely horizontal or completely vertical. Fill in the table.

Rx Ry Θ |R|
EX: 11 22 63.4 24.5

Do these values make sense?yes, size of angle and R look appropriate

10. What type of triangle is made? Right triangle

Draw what you see on the computer screen on your own page TO SCALE.
Using the value of |R| and Ry, how would you calculate Rx?

Verify the value of Rx by calculating it on your own. SHOW ALL YOUR WORK!

(Rx) 2 + (Ry) 2 = R2 Ry = 22 R = 24.5

(Rx) 2 + (22) 2 = 24.52 (Rx) 2 + 484 = 600.25 (Rx) 2 = 116.25 Rx = 10.8

11. Create another vector that is not completely horizontal or completely vertical. Drag it so
that its tail is touching the tip of the vector from #9. Fill in the table.

Rx Ry Θ |R|
Ex: 20 -7 -19.3 21.2

Do these values make sense? yes, angle is downward, etc.

12. Add the vector from #11 to your picture. Be sure to draw it TO SCALE on your paper.
Click the “Sum” button. Move the new vector so that its tail is at (0,0). Draw this vector to
scale on the drawing you made in #9 and 11.
13. For your newest ‘sum’ vector, fill in the table.

Rx Ry Θ |R|
Ex: 31 15 25.8 34.4

Do these values make sense? yes,

14. For your newest ‘sum’ vector, how was Rx determined? Add up individual Rx s

How was Ry determined? add up individual Ry s

How was |R| determined? Pythagorean theorem using Rx and Ry

Try to verify the results the computer gave you by calculating the |R| yourself.
SHOW ALL YOUR WORK!

312 + 152 = R2 961 + 225 = 1186 sqrt (1186) = R R = 34.4

15. In general, if you know the measurements of the horizontal parts (components) of vectors
and you know the measurements of the vertical components of vectors, how can you find
their sum (resultant)?

By the Pythagorean theorem

16. If you are given the angle and the resultant, how can you find the components?

By using trigonometric functions SOHCAHTOA !!