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Often times, the key to success on a physics question is a good game plan - an effective strategy. The best strategy for this question is to get out a writing utensil and some scratch paper and to add the two vectors.
- Draw vector X in the given direction to the approximate length.
- Add vector Y to vector X using the head-to-tail addition method (see Know the Law section below); draw vector Y in the given direction to the approximate length.
- Draw the resultant vector from the tail of vector X to the head (arrowhead) of vector Y. Then find the vector from among the choice of four answers that most closely resembles the resultant which you have drawn.
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Definition of Resultant:
The resultant is the vector sum of two or more individual vectors.
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Vector Addition - Head to Tail Method:
The head-to-tail method of vector addition is one of several methods used to determine the resulting sum of two or more vectors. In this method, the first vector is drawn to scale in its indicated direction. The second vector is then drawn starting at the head (arrowhead) of the first vector; the second vector is drawn to scale in its indicated direction. The process is repeated, with each vector starting at the head (arrowhead) of the previous vector, until all vectors have been drawn. The resultant vector is then drawn from the tail of the first vector to the head of the last vector.
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