Physics Experiment - Sample Outline

            
            
            
             To determine resultant vector using graphical method, analytical method and verify results using the force table.
             II. Conceptual Background.
             Physical quantities are not limited to scalars and vectors. In general, there are tensors. Scalar is tensors of rank 0 and vector is tensor of rank 1. Quantities that generally represented by magnitude only are called scalars. Those that are represented by both magnitude and directions are called vectors. When we specify the mass of a book, it is sufficient to give a quantity referring to its magnitude, say 1 kg. Mass, therefore, is an example of scalar quantity.
             Other quantities, however, cannot be completely specified by a magnitude and unit alone. To describe the velocity of a car by saying 120 km/hr is incomplete. There is still a need to describe the motion or direction of the car. A complete description may then be said as 120 km/hr toward north. With that, velocity is an example of vector quantity. Other examples of vectors quantity are displacement, force and acceleration. These quantities are all expressed in terms of magnitude and direction.
             Scalars and vectors quantity obey different rules in addition and subtraction. Scalar quantities follow the rules use for ordinary numbers. .
             To get the sum of two vectors, we may use the graphical or the analytical method. Resultant vector denotes sum of two or more vectors. The vector equal and opposite the resultant vector is called the equilibrant. The force table to be used in this experiment will allow us to directly measure the equilibrant and through this quantity, determine the resultant.
             In graphical method of finding the resultant vector, the vectors are represented by an arrow and are drawn to convenient scale. The length of the arrow represents the magnitude of the vector and the arrowhead represents the direction. Using parallelogram method or polygon method, the resultant is then drawn. In the analytical method, resultant vectors are computed using mathematical procedures and formulas.