Vector Addition Activity

COSAM Departments Physics Introductory Courses Undergraduate Laboratory Physics 1500/1600 Activities Vector Addition Activity

Math & Trig Review Archimedes' Principle Incline Plane One Dimensional Motion Using an Incline Plane Vector Addition Activity Static Equilibrium using a Meterstick Kirchhoff's Laws Activity Series and Parallel Resistor Activity Two Dimensional Motion

Vector Addition Activity (Follow this link to print the Procedure/Data Sheet)

Notice: Printing in the Auburn University Physics Labs will result in your Bursar's Account being charged 50 cents ($0.50) per page.

For Part IV of the Vector Addition Activity, a 200g brass mass will be suspended from the pulley at 0^o, and a total of 300g will be suspended by a pulley at a location specified by the TA.

In this case, the angle to suspend the 300g mass was specified to be 160^o measured counter clockwise from 0^o.

Using the given information, the students will determine the Force (Magnitude and Direction)required to put the system in equilibrium.

table 1

After the equilibrium Force is determined, the students should suspend the required mass from a properly positioned pulley to place the system in equilibrium.

The system is considered to be in equilibrium when the knot in the string is centered on the Force Table. When any of the masses are displaced slightly, the knot should automatically return to the the center of the table.

table 2