Answer to Question #80259 in Molecular Physics | Thermodynamics for amanda

Question

A force vector has a magnit
ude of 575 newtons and points at
an angle of 36.0°
below the positive x axis. What
are (a) the x scalar component
and (b) the y scalar
component of the vector?

Answer 1

a)
The projection of the vector on the x-axis is a number equal to the product of the length of the vector by the cosine of the angle between this vector and the vector determining the direction of the axis.
Fx = |F|*cos(a)
b)
The projection of the vector on the y-axis is a number equal to the product of the length of the vector by the sine of the angle between this vector and the vector determining the direction of the axis.
Fy = |F|*sin(a)

Fx = 575*cos(-360) = 465.18 N
Fy = 575*sin(-360) = -337.98N