Question

When given a force magnitudes and its direction is shown along the axis in order to get the force vector, you must:

A) Subtract the magnitudes
B) Divide the magnitudes
C) Add the magnitudes
D) Use vector components

Answer 1

To get the force vector given its magnitude and direction, you need to use vector components, add or subtract magnitudes appropriately, or use graphical methods like the head-to-tail method after determining a scale for representation.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the force vector given its magnitude and direction along an axis, you must use vector components. This involves choosing a positive direction, and then either adding or subtracting the magnitudes with the appropriate signs according to the direction chosen.

Another method involves drawing vectors to a particular scale, where the length represents the magnitude, and using the head-to-tail method to find the resultant vector. The graphical method for vector addition is crucial for visualizing the resultant force vector's direction and magnitude.

The resultant force vector is found by using the head-to-tail method and can be measured and scaled back if the initial vectors were drawn to a particular scale. In cases such as computing the magnetic force using F = q× B, the vector product must be computed to determine its magnitude and direction, relying on the vector components or trigonometry as needed. Thus, adding or subtracting magnitudes alone without considering direction will not yield the correct vector.