Quick questions on Scalars and vectors explained: H2 Physics Measurement

6short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.

What are adding two vectors?

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Two vectors are added head-to-tail (the triangle rule) or as two sides of a parallelogram (the parallelogram rule). The resultant is the single vector from the start of the first to the end of the second.

What are resolving a vector into components?

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Any vector

V

at angle

\theta

to a chosen axis splits into two perpendicular components:

What are adding many vectors by components?

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For three or more coplanar vectors, resolve each into

x

and

y

components, sum each direction separately, then recombine:

What is q1?

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State the difference between a scalar and a vector, giving one example of each. [2 marks]

What is q2?

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A force of

24\ \text{N}

acts at

40^\circ

to the horizontal. Find its horizontal and vertical components. [2 marks]

What is q3?

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Three coplanar forces act at a point:

5.0\ \text{N}

east,

4.0\ \text{N}

north, and

3.0\ \text{N}

west. Find the resultant. [3 marks]

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