[Return to Physics Homepage]     [Return to Mike Coombes' Homepage]     [Return to List of Handouts]     [Return to Problem Sets]     [Return to List of Solutions]

Questions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9


Physics 1101: Vectors Review Solutions


  1. Write vectors equations for each diagram below.
    (a) (b)
    (c) (d)
    (e) (f)

    (a) (b)
    (c) (d)
    (e) (f)

    [Return to Top of Page]


  2. The following diagram shows a variety of displacement vectors. Express each vector in component (ij) notation.

    (i) (ii)
    (iii) (iv)
    (v) (vi)
    (vii) (viii)
    (ix)

    Note that a vector such as (i) may be written as A = i7 + j3 when typed, as it is easier to produce since arrow and hat symbols are not common, or as <b>A</b> = <7, 3>, in math class.

    [Return to Top of Page]


  3. Neatly sketch the x and y components on the graphs of the vectors shown below. Indicate the sign of the x and y components of the vectors shown below. Express the vectors in component (i, j) form.

    sign of x comp =

    +

    sign of x comp =

    sign of x comp =

    sign of y comp =

    +

    sign of y comp =

    +

    sign of y comp =

    +

    (a)

    A

    = i[+9.0sin(49°)] + j[+9.0cos(49°)]

       

    = i[6.7924] + j[5.9045]

         

    (b)

    B

    = i[–4.3sin(61° )] + j[+4.3cos(61° )]

       

    = i[–3.7609] + j[2.0847]

         

    (c)

    C

    = i[–10cos(34° )] + j[+10sin(34° )]

       

    = i[–8.2904] + j[5.5919]

    [Return to Top of Page]


  4. Use the parallelogram method to sketch in the resultant vector which has the components shown in the diagrams below. In each case, write the vector in component (i, j) form. In each case write the vector in standard form.
  5. A = 10i - 8j B = 6i + 3j C = -12i - 4j
    A = [(10.0)2+(8.0)2]½ B = [(6.0)2+(3.0)2]½ C = [(12.0)2+(4.0)2]½
      = 12.8062   = 6.7082   = 12.6491
               
    θ = arctan(8/10) θ = arctan(3/6) θ = arctan (4/12)
      = 38.66°   = 26.57°   = 18.43°
               
    A = (12.81, 38.7° b.h.) B = (6.71, 26.6° a.h.) C = (12.65, 198.43° a.h.)

    [Return to Top of Page]


  6. Convert the following vectors to component form. Include sketches.
    (a) A = 7.50 m/s2 at 23° a.h. (b) B = 55 m at 47° b.h.
    (c) C = 15.5 m/s at 155° a.h. (d) D = 42 m at 35° S of E

    (a)

    (b)

      A

    = i[+7.5cos(23°)] + j[+7.5sin(23°)]

      B

    = i[+55cos(47°)] + j[–55sin(47°)]

       

    = i[6.9038] + j[2.9305]

       

    = i[35.5099] – j[40.2245]

               

    (c)

    (d)

      C

    = i[+15.5cos(155°)] + j[+15.5sin(155°)]

      D

    = i[+42cos(35°)] + j[–42sin(35°)]

       

    = i[–14.0478] + j[6.5506]

       

    = i[34.4044] – j[24.0902]

               

    [Return to Top of Page]


  7. A person walks 57.0 m at 47.0° north of east, turns and walks 72.0 m at 15.0° south of east, and then turns and walks 24.0 m 30.0° west of north.
    (a) How far and at what angle is the person's final position from his/her initial position?
    (b) In what direction would the person have to head to return to his/her initial position?

    (a) For vector problems, we first draw a neat sketch of the vectors and the vector operation of interest. Here we are adding three vectors.

    Then to solve the problem numerically, we break the vectors into their components and add them to get the components of vector D. Then we convert to polar coordinate form.

    x

    y

    Ax = 57cos(47°)

    Ay

    = 57sin(47° )
      = 38.8739   = 41.6872

    Bx

    = 72cos(15° )

    By

    = –72sin(15° )
      = 69.5467   = –18.6350

    Cx

    = –24sin(30° )

    Cy

    = 24cos(30° )
      = –12   = 20.7846

    Dx

    = 96.4206

    Dy

    = 43.8368

    Using Pythagoras’ Theorem, D = [(96.4206)2 + (43.8368)2]½ = 105.92 m. The angle θ = tan–1(|Dy/Dx|) = tan–1(43.8368/96.4206) = 24.45° . Thus the person’s displacement is 106 m at 24.4° north of east.

    (b) To return, the person would have to travel in the direction opposite to his/her displacement, i.e. 106 m at 24.4° south of west.

    [Return to Top of Page]


  8. Momentum is an important vector quantity which we will encounter later in this course. Momentum is a product of mass and velocity (p = mv). A car of mass 1200 kg and velocity 22.0 m/s at 30.0° south of west is hit by a second car of mass 1450 kg travelling at 18.0 m/s at 55.0° west of north.
    (a) Find each car's momentum in standard form.
    (b) Find the magnitude and direction of the total momentum of the two cars.

    (a) The magnitude of the momenta of the cars are:

    p1 = m1v1 = (1200 kg)(22 m/s) = 2.64 × 104 kg-m/s;

    p2 = m2v2 = (1450 kg)(18 m/s) = 2.61 × 104 kg-m/s.

    Therefore

    p1 = 2.64 × 104 kg-m/s at 30.0° S of W

    p2 = 2.61 × 104 kg-m/s at 55.0° W of N

    (b) For vector problems, we first draw a neat sketch of the vectors and the vector operation of interest. Here we are adding two vectors.

    Then to solve the problem numerically, we break the vectors into their components and add them to get the components of vector Pnet. Then we convert to polar coordinate form.

    x

    y

    p1x

    = –(2.64× 104)cos(30° )

    p1y

    = –(2.64× 104)sin(30° )

     

    = –2.2863 × 104

     

    = –1.3200 × 104

    p2x

    = –(2.61× 104)sin(55° )

    p2y

    = (2.61× 104)cos(55° )

     

    = –2.1380 × 104

     

    = 1.4970 × 104

    pnet x

    = –4.4243 × 104

    pnet y

    = 0.1770 × 104

    Using Pythagoras’ Theorem, pnet = [(–4.4243× 104)2 + (0.1770× 104)2]½ = 4.428 × 104 kg-m/s. The angle θ = tan–1(|pnet y/pnet x|) = tan–1(0.1770/4.4243) = 2.3° . Thus the net momentum of the two cars 4.428 × 104 kg-m/s at 2.3° north of west.

    [Return to Top of Page]


  9. Forces are vector quantities. Two forces F1 and F2 act on a body such the total force F3 has a magnitude of 150 N at 15.0° east of north. If F1 has magnitude 100 N at 10.0° west of north, what is the magnitude and direction of F2?
  10. We are looking for F2 = F3F1, a vector subtraction. For vector problems, we first draw a neat sketch of the vectors and the vector operation of interest.

    Then to solve the problem numerically, we break the vectors into their components and subtract them to get the components of vector F2. Then we convert to polar coordinate form.

    x

    y

    F3x

    = 150sin(15° )

    F3y

    = 150cos(15° )

     

    = 38.823

     

    = 144.889

    F1x

    = –100sin(10° )

    F1y

    = 100cos(10° )

     

    = –17.365

     

    = 98.481

    F2y

    = 56.188

    F2y

    = 46.408

    Using Pythagoras’ Theorem, F2 = [(56.188)2 + (46.408)2]½ = 72.875 N. The angle θ = tan–1(|F2y/F2x|) = tan–1(46.408/56.188) = 39.55° . Thus the other force is 72.9 N at 39.6° north of east.

    [Return to Top of Page]


  11. A person is located 225 m and 35.0° north of west from her initial position. She walked from her initial position to her final position in two stages. In the first stage of her walk, she walked 150 m at 20.0° south of east. How far and in what direction did she walk in the second part?
  12. We are looking for R2 = RfR1, a vector subtraction. For vector problems, we first draw a neat sketch of the vectors and the vector operation of interest.

    Then to solve the problem numerically, we break the vectors into their components and subtract them to get the components of vector R2. Then we convert to polar coordinate form.

    x

    y

    Rfx

    = –225cos(35° )

    Rfy

    = 225sin(35° )

     

    = –184.309

     

    = 129.055

    R1x

    = 150cos(20° )

    R1y

    = 150sin(20° )

     

    = 140.954

     

    = –51.303

    R2y

    = –325.263

    R2y

    = 180.358

    Using Pythagoras’ Theorem, R2 = [(–325.263)2 + (180.358)2]½ = 371.921 m. The angle θ = tan–1(|R2y/R2x|) = tan–1(180.358/325.263) = 29.01° . Thus the other displacement is 372 m at 29.0° north of west.

    [Return to Top of Page]


[Return to Physics Homepage]     [Return to Mike Coombes' Homepage]     [Return to List of Handouts]     [Return to Problem Sets]     [Return to List of Solutions]

Questions? mike.coombes@kwantlen.ca

[Return to Kwantlen Homepage]