Answer to Question #293530 in Physics for mars

Question

For the vectors  and  in the figure shown, use the method of components to find the magnitude and direction of

 

(a) the vector sum  +  

(b) the vector sum  +  

(c) the vector difference  -

(d) the vector difference  -

Answer 1

The method of components aimed to find the magnitude and direction of vector sum can be explained this way:

(a), (b) To add vectors, join the tale to nose of each successive vector and measure the distance between the nose and tale of the first and the last vectors.

(c), (d) To subtract vectors, do the same but in the opposite direction and measure the length.