Name
Mrs. Jiménez
Period
Date
APS Honors
Vector Diagrams – Technique and Practice
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GRAPHICAL METHOD
Choose an appropriate scale for given paper. (example 1m = 1cm)
Use typical N, S, E, and W orientation.
Use a ruler to measure distances and a protractor to measure angles when needed,
draw out each vector as an arrow, tail to tip, one after another, without picking up
pencil.
Pick up pencil, find starting point, and draw a resultant vector that is DOTTED
from first vector tail to final vector tip/head. Label it with an “R”.
Measure the length of resultant vector and the angle relative to N,S, E or W.
1) A squirrel scurries 4.7 m north to get a nut that has fallen from a tree. When the wind
blows, however, he must make a turn and follow the nut 7.2 m west. What distance did
he travel? What is his displacement? Solve graphically and solve algebraically.
2) A boy scout on a camping trip sets out in the woods to find berries and earn his berry
merit badge. He starts out going 0.75 km east, finds nothing, hits water, and must turn
and go north 0.37 km. He finds the berries!! And a bear!! He runs away from the bear
0.75 km west when he finally loses the scary bear. 3 questions: a – This boy scout never
got his merit badge for orienteering so can you please tell him how to get back to the
campsite? And b – what is his displacement? Draw a vector diagram to represent this
problem and solve by measurement and by geometry. c – What is the total distance he
traveled?
3) If a ball on a pool table rolls 145 cm north, hits the edge of the a bumpy table and then
ricochets back 45° south east for 85 cm, what it its displacement? Draw a vector diagram
to represent this problem and solve graphically and by measuring.
4) Use the graphical technique for adding vectors to find the total displacement of a
person who walks the following three paths (displacements) on a flat field. First, he walks
25 m in a direction 49° north of east. Then, he walks 23 m heading 15° north of east.
Finally, he turns and walks 32 m in a direction 68 ° south of east.