Vectors - Exercises

1. I walk 100 m north and then 200 m south. What is my total displacement from my starting point?
2. Using the polygon method of vector addition, calculate the resultant of the following three vectors. The reference
direction is vertical with angles measured in a clockwise direction.
A = 3 units, 40
B = 6 units, 150
C = 2 units, 70
3. Using the parallelogram method of vector addition, add the following two vectors. The reference direction is
horizontal and directed from left to right. Angles are measured counter-clockwise from the reference direction.
A = 4 units, 20.
B = 3 units, 60.
4. Use the method of components to add the following vectors. The angles are defined with respect to the X-axis of
conventional rectangular axes.
A = 8 units, 20
B = 12 units, 300
C = 5 units, 60
5. Two vectors M and N are inclined at right angles. Write the expressionthat will give |R|, the magnitude of the
resultant R?

Vectors and force exercises

1. A plane flies northwest out of Chicago at a speed of 400 km/hr in a direction of 150 degrees (i.e., 30 degrees north
of west). The Canadian border is located a distance of 1500 km due north of Chicago. Calculate the number of
hours it will take the plane to cross into Canada.
2. Suppose that the plane in question 1 was flying with a velocity of 358 km/hr in a direction of 146 degrees (i.e., 34
degrees north of west). If the Canadian border is still located a distance of 1500 km north of Chicago, then how
much time would it take to cross the border?
3. A boat heads straight across a river. The river flows north at a speed of 3 m/s. If the river current were greater, then
the time required for the boat to reach the opposite shore would not change.
a. True
b. False
4. A boat begins at point A and heads straight across a 60-meter wide river with a speed of 4 m/s (relative to the
water). The river water flows north at a speed of 3 m/s (relative to the shore). The boat reaches the opposite shore
at point C. Which of the following would cause the boat to reach the opposite shore
at a location SOUTH of C?
a. The boat heads across the river at 5 m/s.
b. The boat heads across the river at 3 m/s.
c. The river flows north at 4 m/s.
d. The river flows north at 2 m/s.
e. Nonsense! None of these affect the location where the boat lands.
Vector Practice 2:
Questions:
1. Can the magnitude of a vector ever (a) equal, or (b) be less than, one of its components?
2. Can a vector of magnitude zero have a nonzero component?
3. One car travels due east at 40 km/hr, and a second car travels north 40 km/hr. Are their velocities equal?
Problems
1. A car is driven 80 km west and then 30 km southwest. What is the displacement of the car from the point of
origin (magnitude and direction).
2. A delivery truck travels 18 blocks north, 10 blocks east, and 20 blocks south. What is its final displacement
from the origin? Assume the blocks are equal length.
3. If Vx=-8.5 units and Vy=4.8 units, determine the magnitude and direction of V.