Solving Displacement Vectors A & B: Find A+B

AI Thread Summary
To solve for the resultant vector A + B, the components of both vectors need to be calculated using trigonometric functions based on the given angle of 30°. The calculations for A + B yield a magnitude of approximately 6, but there is confusion regarding the direction and whether A and B point in the same direction. The correct approach involves separately computing the x and y components of both vectors, summing them, and then converting back to magnitude and direction. The discussion highlights the importance of accurately determining the direction of the vectors to avoid incorrect conclusions about their resultant.
chocolatelover
Messages
238
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Vector A is 3 m and vector b is 3m. The angle formed by the positive x-axis is 30°. Find A +B


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



Does this look correct?

i=3cos30
j=3sin30

Vector A+B=(3cos30 +3cos30)+(3sin30+3sin30)
=8.20

magnitude=square root((3cos30 +3cos30)^2+(3sin30+3sin30)^2)
=square root(27+9)=6

theta=tan-1(3sin30+3sin30)/(3cos30+3cos30)=77.55

and if it were vector A-B, the only difference would be that you would take (3cos30+3cos30)+(-3sin30-3sin30) and the magnitude would be square root of (3cos30+3cos30^2)+(-3sin30-3sin30)^2 right?

Thank you very much
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
chocolatelover said:
The angle formed by the positive x-axis is 30°.

I have no Idea what you mean by this.
 
Sorry.The angle formed by the two vectors on the positive x-axis is 30°. Can you tell me if I did this correctly? Would the magnitude of vector A+B be the square root of (3cos30+3cos30)^2+(3sin30+3sin30)^2
=6
angle=3sin30+3sin30/3cos30+3cos30=179.4

Would the magnitude of A-B be:
square root of (3cos30+3cos30)^2+(3sin30+3sin30)=
6

angle=179.4

But they shouldn't be the same, right? Do you see where I went wrong?

Thank you
 
Last edited:
That still doesn't tell me where A and B point.
The magnitude of A+B can only be 6 if A and B point in the same direction however, and then of course A+B would have the same direction as A And B and then A-B would be the 0 vector, so your answer can't be right.
The easiest way to do this is to compute the components of A and B in the X and Y directions, then add them, and then convert back to a magnitude and direction.
 
Thank you very much

Regards
 
Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'
Starting with the mass considerations #m(t)# is mass of water #M_{c}# mass of container and #M(t)# mass of total system $$M(t) = M_{C} + m(t)$$ $$\Rightarrow \frac{dM(t)}{dt} = \frac{dm(t)}{dt}$$ $$P_i = Mv + u \, dm$$ $$P_f = (M + dm)(v + dv)$$ $$\Delta P = M \, dv + (v - u) \, dm$$ $$F = \frac{dP}{dt} = M \frac{dv}{dt} + (v - u) \frac{dm}{dt}$$ $$F = u \frac{dm}{dt} = \rho A u^2$$ from conservation of momentum , the cannon recoils with the same force which it applies. $$\quad \frac{dm}{dt}...
TL;DR Summary: I came across this question from a Sri Lankan A-level textbook. Question - An ice cube with a length of 10 cm is immersed in water at 0 °C. An observer observes the ice cube from the water, and it seems to be 7.75 cm long. If the refractive index of water is 4/3, find the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. I could not understand how the apparent height of the ice cube in the water depends on the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. Does anyone have an...
Back
Top