Finding Resultant of Displacements Using Unit Vectors

In summary, a golfer takes three putts to get the ball into the hole of a level putting green. The first putt displaces the ball 2.5 m North, the second 4.8 m South-East, and the third 5.7 m South-West. The displacements can be expressed in unit vector notation as (0)i, (2.5)j, (3.39)i, (-3.39)j, and (-4.03)i, (-4.03)j. To determine the angle in degrees for a single putt, the resultant of these three vectors must be found and then the angle can be calculated using the formula tanθ = y/x.
  • #1
roam
1,271
12

Homework Statement



A golfer takes three putts to get the ball into the hole of a level putting green. The first putt displaces the ball 2.5 m North, the second 4.8 m South-East and the third 5.7 m South-West.

Express each of these three displacements in unit vector notation where i is a unit vector pointing due East and j is a unit vector pointing due North.

E.g the first displacement is: [tex](0)i, (2.5)j[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



The first one is obvious but the other two aren't. For example for the second part the question says it is 4.8 m South-East BUT it doesn't say how many degrees due South-East. Without the angle, it is impossible for me to find the rectangular components (i.e [tex]4.8 sin(\theta), 4.8 cos(\theta)[/tex]). Any suggestions?
 
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  • #2
When they say south of east or south of west the angle is always 45 degrees with east-west line.
 
  • #3
Oh thanks! I found the three displacements in unit vector notation:

[tex]0i, 2.5j[/tex]
[tex]3.39i, -3.39j[/tex]
[tex]-4.03i, -4.03j[/tex]

The question then asks:

Determine the angle in degrees (measured with respect to anticlockwise rotation from an axis pointing due East of the hole) to get the ball into the hole in a single putt.

What do I need to do to answer this problem? I'm a little confused...
 
  • #4
Find the resultant of these three vectors.
Then tanθ = y/x
 

1. What are unit vectors?

Unit vectors are vectors with a magnitude of 1, commonly used in mathematics and physics to represent direction and magnitude. They are usually denoted by a hat symbol (^) on top of the vector, such as .

2. What are the components of a unit vector?

The components of a unit vector depend on the coordinate system it is being represented in. In a Cartesian coordinate system, the components are usually represented as (x, y, z), where each component represents the unit vector's magnitude in the x, y, and z directions.

3. How are unit vectors used in vector operations?

Unit vectors are used to represent the direction of a vector in vector operations such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication. They are also used to find the components of a vector in a specific direction.

4. Can unit vectors be negative?

No, unit vectors cannot be negative. As they have a magnitude of 1, they only represent direction and do not have a negative value. However, the components of a unit vector can be negative depending on the direction they are pointing in.

5. How are unit vectors useful in physics?

In physics, unit vectors are used to represent the direction and magnitude of forces, velocities, and accelerations. They also play a crucial role in vector calculus, which is used to study the motion of objects and systems in physics.

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