PHYL 2048 L Experiment 4- Force Table

PHYL 2048 L Experiment
4- Force Table


Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to add vectors using three different methods which

are graphical, analytical, and experimental to find the resultant vector.

Theory: 1. Scalar quantity and vector quantity a) Scalar: a quantity are often specified by its

magnitude alone like time (t), mass (m), volume (V), etc. b) Vector: a quantity must be

specified by both its magnitude and direction such as force (), velocity (), acceleration of

gravity (), etc. 2. Representations of a vector: a) Symbol: example,, the highest arrow indicates

that force could be a vector, F = | is its magnitude. b) Graphic: The direction of the arrow gives

the direction of the force. The length of the road is proportional to the magnitude of the force.

c) Components: where and are unit vectors (or direction vectors), which are used to indicate the

directions of the x and y axes respectively. A unit vector is a vector of length 1, i.e., || = || 1. the

2 components of : F x = Fcosθ, F y = Fsinθ. The magnitude of : F= The direction of : tanθ = 3.

Graphical representation of resultant (vector addition and subtraction) a) Parallelogram Method

to feature two vectors + , the parallelogram of which and are adjacent sides is made. The arrow

diagonal of the parallelogram is that the resultant vector or vector of + . b) Triangle and

Polygon Methods the same method of finding is that the vectors to be added "head to tail"

(head of to tail of ), the resultant vector is drawn from the tail of to the head of . If over two

vectors are added, the pinnacle to tail method forms a polygon where the resultant vector is

drawn from the tail of the first vector () to the pinnacle of the last vector (). 4. Analytical

representation of resultant - Component Method, a) By the reverse process, we may resolve a

, vector into x and y components. The resultant vector or resultant of any number of vectors will

be obtained by adding the x and y components of those vectors. 5. Force Table a) The force

table is an apparatus that permits the experimental determination of the resultant force. The rim

of the circular table is calibrated in degrees. Weight forces are applied to a central ring by

means of strings running over pulleys and attached to weight hangers. The magnitude of a force

is varied by adding or removing slotted weights and also the direction is varied by moving the

pulley. b) The resultant force of two or more forces is found by balancing the forces with

another force in order that the ring is centered on the central pin. The balancing force isn't the

resultant , but the equilibrium , which is that the force balancing the other actuating forces and

keeping the ring centered. This force is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the

resultant.

Procedure: 1. Place the bubble level on the force table to check whether it is leveled, adjust the

leveling screws if needed. 2. Clamp pulleys on the force table at specified angles and add

specified weight to each hanger as listed in each of the three measurements. 3. Find the

magnitude and direction of the equilibrant that maintains the central ring centered in

equilibrium around the center pin. 4. Check your results using the following methods and

record the magnitudes and directions of the resultant forces in the three data tables. 5. Record

the data from Measurements 1, 2, and 3 in their proper tables.