Why could we represent the addition of two vectors like this?

In summary, vectors are mathematical objects that can be added using the parallelogram rule, which is a useful representation in physics for forces. While we may not have a physical proof for this rule, it has been observed through experimentation and has been mathematically defined since Newton's Principia Mathematica.
  • #1
parshyaa
307
19
Do we have any proof to show that we can represent the addition of two vectors like this, i mean do we have proof for triangle law of vector addition(or its a law that is why we can't have its proof, then please give me a satisfying reason for this)
images.png
 
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  • #2
parshyaa said:
Do we have any proof to show that we can represent the addition of two vectors like this, i mean do we have proof for triangle law of vector addition(or its a law that is why we can't have its proof, then please give me a satisfying reason for this)
View attachment 211264
What is your guess?
 
  • #3
It's a definition: Vectors are mathematical objects that add that way.

It turns out that these mathematical objects are useful, so we use them.
 
  • #4
Chestermiller said:
What is your guess?
I have a explanation(but its wrong), i think more precisely a vector addition can be represented like this
IMG_20170917_175028708.jpg

Because when we hit a pencil box we get something like this(when we hit it from left side and then from right side and the we hit it from left and right side together)
IMG_20170917_175929583.jpg

And as we know that vectors can be shifted parallely then we can shift B to the head of A then we would get something we were proving, but as size of vector represents magnitude we are not shure that triangle would form or not.
 
  • #5
The "head to tail" and "tail to tail" vector diagrams are equivalent representations of the "parallelogram rule" for vector addition. This is a mathematical statement. The physics comes in when we observe experimentally that forces obey this rule, and therefore we can use vectors to represent forces.

The parallelogram rule (applied to forces) goes all the way back to Newton. See Corollary I of his Principia Mathematica.
 
Last edited:

1. Why do we need to represent addition of two vectors?

Representing addition of two vectors is necessary because it allows us to perform mathematical operations on them, such as finding their sum or calculating their magnitude and direction. This is especially useful in fields such as physics and engineering, where vectors are commonly used to represent forces, velocities, and other quantities.

2. Can't we just add the components of two vectors to get their sum?

No, because vectors have both magnitude and direction, simply adding their components would not accurately represent their combined effect. For example, if we add two vectors with the same magnitude but opposite directions, the result would be a vector with zero magnitude, meaning no effect. Using vector addition allows us to take into account both magnitude and direction.

3. How does vector addition work?

Vector addition works by placing the tail of one vector at the tip of the other, and then drawing a new vector from the tail of the first vector to the tip of the second. The resulting vector is the sum of the two original vectors. This can also be done mathematically by adding the corresponding components of the two vectors.

4. Why do we represent vector addition using diagrams?

Representing vector addition with diagrams, also known as graphical addition, allows us to visualize the vectors and better understand their relationship. It also helps us to easily determine the magnitude and direction of the resulting vector without having to perform calculations.

5. Can we represent addition of more than two vectors using the same method?

Yes, we can represent the addition of any number of vectors using the same method of placing the tail of one vector at the tip of the previous vector. This is known as the head-to-tail method and is a useful tool for finding the resultant of multiple vectors in various directions.

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