Magnitude and direction of the resultant.

In summary, the magnitude of a resultant force refers to its size or strength and is represented by a numerical value and a unit of measurement. The direction of a resultant force is determined by calculating the vector sum of all individual forces acting on an object. The magnitude of a resultant force cannot be negative and is always a positive value. The magnitude and direction of a resultant force are both important components that work together to determine its overall effect on an object. The angle between two forces is a crucial factor in determining the magnitude and direction of the resultant force, with the forces' magnitudes adding or subtracting depending on their direction and the direction of the resultant force being affected by the angle between the two forces.
  • #1
missie
38
0
Question:

i have 2 arrows/vector. One going down 13m and one going up 3m. it ask what is the magnitude and direction.

Direction should be south and north. But how do i find the magnitude? and what is that?

is it:

-13 + 3 = -10m?
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
That's pretty much correct, but the magnitude would be the absolute value of what you wrote.

Does the problem say the vectors are "up" and "down", or does it say "north" and "south"? The direction will be one of those.
 
  • #3


I would like to clarify that the direction of an arrow or vector is usually represented by an angle, such as 0 degrees for east, 90 degrees for north, etc. In this case, we would need to know the angles of the two arrows in order to determine their resultant direction.

In terms of magnitude, it is the size or length of the resultant vector. To find the magnitude, we would need to use the Pythagorean theorem, which states that the magnitude of the resultant vector is equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the individual vectors.

So, in this case, the magnitude would be the square root of (13^2 + 3^2) = 13.3 m. This means that the resultant vector has a magnitude of 13.3 m in the direction of the resultant angle, which would need to be calculated using the angles of the individual vectors.

Therefore, the correct answer would be: The magnitude of the resultant vector is 13.3 m in an unknown direction (until the angles of the individual vectors are known).
 

1. What is the meaning of "magnitude" in the context of resultant forces?

The magnitude of a resultant force refers to its size or strength. It is represented by a numerical value and a unit of measurement, such as Newtons (N) or pounds (lbs).

2. How is the direction of a resultant force determined?

The direction of a resultant force is determined by the vector sum of all individual forces acting on an object. This can be calculated using trigonometric functions or graphical methods such as vector addition.

3. Can the magnitude of a resultant force be negative?

No, the magnitude of a resultant force cannot be negative. It represents the overall strength of the force, which is always a positive value.

4. What is the relationship between magnitude and direction in a resultant force?

The magnitude and direction of a resultant force are both important components of the force. They work together to determine the overall effect of the force on an object, with magnitude representing the strength and direction representing the orientation of the force.

5. How does the angle between two forces affect the magnitude and direction of the resultant?

The angle between two forces is a crucial factor in determining the magnitude and direction of the resultant force. If the forces are acting in the same direction, their magnitudes will add up to create a larger resultant force. If the forces are acting in opposite directions, their magnitudes will subtract, resulting in a smaller resultant force. The direction of the resultant force will also be affected by the angle between the two forces, as it will be the direction in which the forces are combined.

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