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Application of Graphical and Analytical Vector Addition to Forces

at Equilibrium
Agsaoay, M. L., Belino, S., Galas, A., Iddoba, F., & Magbalita, M.*
Department of physical sciences
College of Science
University of the Philippines Baguio
Governor Pack Road, 2600 Baguio City
*Corresponding author: mgmagbalita@gmail.com

Abstract
A vector quantity, such as force, consists of both magnitude and direction. In
determining the resultant force of two or more forces, graphical and analytical
vector addition may be applied. In the experiment, a method referred to as
Keep The Ring At The Center (KTRATC) was used to observe forces at
equilibrium, where the ring is maintained at the center by a net force of zero
using pulleys and hanging masses attached to the ring through strings. A single
vector or mass was considered an equilibrant which has the same magnitude but
the opposite direction of the resultant, or the sum, of all the other vectors, thus
maintaining balance in the system. The magnitude and direction of the
equilibrant can thus be derived from the resultant vector. This was done in the
experiment to verify the experimental value of the equilibrant and to calculate
the mass of an unknown block of wood. It was observed in the results of the
experiment that the analytical and graphical technique each has its accuracy in
different aspects.
Keywords: vector, resultant, equilibrant

Results and Discussions

In the experiment, hanging masses were connected to a ring on the force table using pulleys and
strings of equal lengths. The addition of vectors was performed analytically and graphically using data
gathered in the method Keep The Ring At The Center (KTRATC) where the goal was to keep the ring
at the center of the force table by changing the hanging masses, or the magnitudes, and adjusting the
angles, or the directions. Keeping it at the center signifies static equilibrium within the system, which
means that the sum of all forces acting on the ring is zero, resulting to no acceleration [1].
It is also important not to disturb the hanging masses while conducting the KTRATC because doing so
affects the equilibrium that was already achieved by the system since other external forces are being added to it. For
instance, slightly pushing one of the hanging masses upward results to movement of the ring in the direction of the
other hanging masses due to the additional pushing force and normal force on the hanging mass that affects the
value of the tension [2] Moreover, due to the friction present between the pulleys and the strings, the disturbed
system may not be able to restore balance easily. Aside from the limitations due to resources, there is no limit in the
number of hanging masses that may be used to KTRATC. As long as the net force of the hanging masses added do
not exceed that of the equilibrant, or the hanging mass 1, any number of other forces may be used. However,
maximizing the number of hanging masses used may also increase the errors in the data because of the friction of
the pulley and the string which is disregarded in the calculations.
Along the x-axis, the net force on the ring consists of the tension force(s) exerted by the string(s) attached.
For each hanging mass, the net force consists of the gravitational force, given by equation 2.1 where m is the mass
and g is acceleration due to gravity 9.80 m/s2 downwards, and the tension force exerted by the string. The string
connecting the ring and the hanging mass has the same tension force, thus the tension force acting on the ring can

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also be given by equation 2.1 [2]. However, since all strings attached to the rings would then have a tension
incorporating the value of g, for experimental purposes, the magnitude considered was only the mass. Therefore, the
principles of vector addition are still applicable.
(Eq. 2.1)
The equilibrant is a single force that must be combined with a set of forces to create a system of static
equilibrium, where all forces are balanced, resulting to zero net force, thus no movement or acceleration. In the
experiment, the hanging mass 1 is considered the equilibrant since in all cases, the hanging masses or forces added
on the force table are balanced by the hanging mass 1, by exerting on the ring an equal magnitude of force in the
opposite direction of the resultant of all the other forces added. To determine the equilibrant analytically, the
resultant vector is first calculated using equation 2.2 below,
(Eq. 2.2)
where R is the resultant vector, Ry is the summation of all vectors along the y-axis and Rx is the summation of all
vectors along the x-axis [1]. The magnitude or mass of the analytical equilibrant is equal to the magnitude of the
resultant vector calculated using equation 2.2. The direction of the resultant is given by the following equation,
(Eq. 2.3)
where is the angle or direction of the resultant [1]. However, since the direction of the equilibrant is opposite that
of the resultant vector, 180 is added to the angle calculated using equation 2.3 to get the angle of the equilibrant.
The obtained values are indicated in Table 2.1.

Case
1
2
3
4
5

Table 2.1. Theoretical and Analytical Equilibrant

Theoretical
Analytical
Mass (g)
Position ()
Mass (g)
Position ()
200.80
210
202.71
210.96
199.81
210
232.03
210.41
221.61
210.81
200.88
208.33

% Error
Mass
0.50
1.45
16.13
10.91
0.54

Position
0
0.46
0.07
0.39
0.80

The graphical vector addition was also used in the experiment to determine the equilibrant. Since there is a
case (Case 5) which involves more than two vectors, the method used was the Triangle or Tail-to-Tip method, where
the resultant is obtained by connecting the tail of the first vector to the head of the last vector. Since the equilibrant
has the same magnitude but opposite the direction of the resultant, the resultant is extended towards the opposite
direction until the same magnitude is obtained. The equilibrant values obtained using the graphical technique are in
Table 2.2.

Case
1
2
3
4
5

Table 2.2. Theoretical and Graphical Equilibrant

Theoretical
Graphical
Mass (g)
Position ()
Mass (g)
Position ()
200
210
200
211
199.81
210
200
209
220
211
200
209

% Error
Mass
0.10
0.10
0.10
10.10
0.10

Position
0
0.48
0.48
0.48
0.48

Based on the results of the experiment, the graphical method had less errors compared to the analytical
technique, particularly in determining the magnitude of the equilibrant. However, theoretically, the analytical
technique is more accurate because more errors may be committed while doing the graphical method. The values

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obtained in the equilibrants in the graphical method has a higher range of possible values compared to that obtained
using the analytical method which only involves the range of error from the experiment.
For the last portion of the experiment, a block of wood of unknown mass was used to replace hanging mass
1. In the first trial, two identical masses were added to the system and KTRATC was performed. A second trial with
two identical masses but heavier than the first was conducted. To calculate the mass of the wood, it is assumed that
the block of wood is the equilibrant. Since the equilibrant balances the other two hanging masses, its magnitude is
therefore equal to the resultant of the two added hanging masses. The resultant mass can be obtained using equation
2.2. The values for the calculated and the actual mass of the block of wood are in Table 2.3 below.
Trial
1
2

Table 2.3. Unknown Mass

Calculated Mass
Actual Mass
133.54
115.92
114.53

% Error
15.20
1.20

As shown in Table 2.3, the first trial has a high percentage error of 15.20 % while the second trial has a low
percentage error of 1.20 %. Since the hanging masses are identical, the errors may be explained by the angles at
which the two masses were positioned. Theoretically, since the two masses are identical for each trial, the direction
of their resultant must be directly opposite, or 180 away, to the equilibrant, which is the block of wood. To be able
to do this, the two masses must be equally distant from the ideal resultant direction. However, in the experiment,
they were not positioned this way while KTRATC was done. Again, the errors may also be partially due to the
ignored friction between the strings and the pulleys.

Conclusion
The main objective of this experiment is to use analytical, graphical and experimental techniques to
verify the methods of vector algebra. The use of the tail-to-tip method was done for both graphical and experimental
technique while the experimental technique was done with the use of a force table. Results for all cases had a
percentage error below 15% so it is acceptable except for case 3 which had a 15% error which may be caused either
by the changes in the level of the tale or the weights were not properly weighed. With the small error percentages
determined in the results and discussion, it can be said that the results of the three techniques are close to one
another. The data gathered experimentally is known to be precise relative to what was computed analytically and
graphically. The methods of vector algebra using experimental, graphical, and analytical technique are thus verified.
Since the unknown mass of the wood, as solved using the force table, is close to the value presented by the toploading balance, it can also be concluded that one could compute mass, and other different magnitudes of physical
quantities, by using the principles of vector addition.
With this experiment, it was confirmed that for KTRATC to happen, the magnitude (force) acting
from it should be equal to zero; that the resultant vector must be equal to that of the equilibrant.
The students recommend the future experimenters to first familiarize themselves with the concepts of
vector addition before performing the activity. Instead of pure trial and error, they should consider doing the
analytical technique along hand. Having a list of certain values and probabilities (i.e. where to position the pulley;
ranges of mass of the objects to be hung) could help the experimenters finish their task on time.

References
[1] Giancoli, D. (2014) Physics: principles with applications. 7th ed. Pearson Education: Upper
River, N. J.

Saddle

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[2] Young, H.D. & Freedman, R.A. (2008). University Physics with Modern Physics, 12th Ed. Pearson
Education. Inc.: San Francisco.