PHYSICS 11a GENERAL PHYSICS I

Problem Set # 2: Vectors

Name: _________________________________ Stud. No.: __________________

Course: ________________________________ Class Time: _________________

1. Hearing rattles from a snake, you make two rapid displacements of magnitude 8.0 m and 6.0 m.
Draw sketches, roughly to scale, to show how your two displacements might add to give a
resultant of magnitude a) 14.0 m; b) 2.0 m; c) 10.0 m.

2. A postal employee drives a delivery truck along the route shown in Figure below. Determine the
magnitude and direction of the resultant displacement by drawing a scale diagram and by
component method. Answer: 7.8 km, 380 north of east
Figure
stop
*
3.1 km

4.0 km 450

2.6 km
W E
start
* S
3. For the vectors A and B in Figure below, use a scale drawing to find the magnitude and
direction of a) the vector sum A + B ; b) the vector difference A B . From your answers to
parts (a) and (b), find the magnitude and direction of c) A B ; d) B A .
y
Figure:

B (18.0 m)

A (12.0 m) 370
x
O
4. Use a scale drawing to find the x- and y-components of the following vectors. In each case the
magnitude of the vector and the angle, measured counterclockwise, that it makes with the +x-axis
are given. a) magnitude 7.40 m, angle 300; b) magnitude 15 km, angle 2250; c) magnitude 9.30
cm, angle 3230.
5. Compute the x- and y-components of each of the vectors A , B , and C in Figure.

370 A (12.0 m)
Figure:

400
0 B (15.0 m)
60

C(6.0 m)
 Answer: 7.2m, 9.6m : 11.5m, -9.6m : -3m, -5.2m
6. For the vectors A and B in figure below, use the method of components to find the magnitude
and direction of a) the vector sum A + B ; b) the vector sum B + A ; c) the vector difference A -
B ; d) the vector difference B - A .
Answer: a)11.1m; 77.60, b) 11.1m, 77.60
y c)28.5m, 202.30 d) 28.5m,
22.30

B (18.0 m)

A (12.0 m) 370
x
O

7. Find the magnitude and direction of the vector represented by each of the following pairs of
components:
a) Ax = 5.60 cm, Ay = -8.20 cm;
b) Ax = -2.70 m, Ay = -9.45 m;
c) Ax = -3.75 km, Ay = 6.70 km.
8. Vector A has components Ax= 3.40 cm, Ay= 2.25 cm; vector B has components Bx = -4.10 cm,
By=3.75 cm. Find a) the components of the vector sum A + B ; b) the magnitude and direction of
A + B ; c) the components of the vector difference A B ; d) the magnitude and direction of
A B ;.
9. Given two vectors A = 4.00i + 3.00 j and B = 5.00i 2.00 j , a) find the magnitude of each
vector; b) write an expression for the vector difference A B using unit vector; c) find the
magnitude and direction of the vector difference A B . d) In a vector diagram show A , B , and
A B , and also show that your diagram agrees qualitatively with your answer in part (c). e)
A B . f) B A . y
10. Write each vector (below) in terms of the unit vectors i and j .

B (18.0 m)

A (12.0 m) 370
x
O
11. Find the angle between each of the following pairs of vectors:
a) A = 2.00i + 6.00 j and B = 2.00i 3.00 j
b) A = 3.00i + 5.00 j and B = 10.00i + 6.00 j
c) A = 4.00i + 2.00 j and B = 7.00i + 14.00 j
12. Given two vectors, A = 5 i 7 j + 3k and B = 4i + 1 j k .
3 2 2
 Find:
a. A 3B d. A B
b. 4 B A e. (2 3 i 3 4 j + 5k ) (4 i + 12 j k ) magnitude

c. Sketch the vectors A and B . (not to scale)

13. A particle from rest moves with acceleration 2m/s2 in 3 sec. then moves with constant velocity in
4 sec. Finally decelerates 1.5 m/s2 and come to a stop.
Required:
a. Calculate the total distance traveled by the particle.
b. Construct an x-t graph of the motion of the ball at every 0.2 sec time interval.
c. Construct a v-t graphs of the motion of the ball at every 0.2 sec time interval.
14. A disoriented physics professor drives 4.25 km south, then 2.75 km west, then 1.50 km north.
Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant displacement, using the method of components.
Draw a vector addition diagram, roughly to scale, and show that the resultant displacement found
from your diagram agrees with the result you obtained using the method of components.
Answer: 3.89 km, 450 west of south
15. An explorer in the dense jungles of equatorial Africa leaves her hut. She takes 80 steps southeast,
then 40 steps 600 east of north, then 50 steps due north. Assume her steps all have equal length.
a) Draw a sketch, roughly to scale, of the three vectors and their resultant. b) Save her from
becoming hopelessly lost in the jungle by giving her the displacement vector calculated by using
the method of components that will return her to her hut.
16. A cross-country skier skis 7.40 km in the direction 450 east of south, then 2.80 km in the direction
300 north of east, and finally 5.20 km in the direction 220 west of north.
a) Show these displacements on a diagram. b) How far is the skier from the starting point?
Answer: b) 5.79 km
17. On a training flight, a student pilot flies from Lincoln, Nebraska, to Clarinda, Iowa; then to St.
Joseph, Missouri; then to Manhattan, Kansas. The directions are shown relative to north: 00 is
north, 900 is east, 1800 is south, and 2700 is west. Use the method of components to find a) the
distance she has to fly from Manhattan to get back to Lincoln; b) the direction (relative to north)
she must fly to get there. Illustrate your solution with a vector diagram.

NEBRASKA IOWA

147 KM
850 Clarinda
Lincoln

106 KM
1670

St. Joseph
Manhattan
N 166 KM
W E 2350 MISSOURI
S KANSAS

18. Find the magnitude of the single displacement that is equivalent to successive displacements of
30 m and 50 m, the direction of the second displacement being perpendicular to that of the first.
19. A rope attached to a sled makes an angle of 40o with the ground. With what force must the rope
be pulled to produce a horizontal component of 100 N? What will then be the vertical component
of the force.
20. A farmer plowing in the contour of his land plows 150 m on a bearing of 315o and then turns and
plow 50 m on a bearing of 200o. Determine the distance and bearing of the farmers present
position from his starting point.
21. A ferryboat goes straight across a river in which there is a current of 3 km/hr. If the speed of the
boat relative to the water is 10 km/hr, find the direction in which it is pointed. What is the
velocity relative to the earth? (17.5o, 9.54 kph)
22. Two forces, one of 30 lb and the other unknown, act at the same point to produce a resultant force
of 36 lb. If the angle between the two forces is 120oi, find the magnitude of the unknown force.
23. A janitor holds the handle of his mop such that it makes 60o with the floor. If he pushes with a
force of 80 lbs what force will drive the mop against the floor?
24. Three football players participating simultaneously in a tackle exert the, following forces in the
ball carrier 100 lb due E, 120 lb 20o N of E and 80 lb 35o W of N. Find the resultant of these
forces.
20. A web page designer creates an animation in which a dot on a computer screen has a position of
r = [3.0cm + (2.0 cm )t ] i + (4.0 cm )t j ] .
s s
a) Find the magnitude and direction of dots average velocity between t =0 and t = 3.0 s.
b) Find the magnitude and direction of the instantaneous velocity at t =0, t =2, and t =3 s.
c) Sketch the dots trajectory from t =0 to t =3 sec and show the velocities calculated in part (b).