M-2  Equilibrium of Forces

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Vector addition applet

OBJECTIVE: To experimentally verify vector addition of forces.

APPARATUS:

Circular horizontal force table with 360^o scale, pulleys, weight hangers, slotted masses, protractor, rulers.

Figure 1: The horizontal force table

PROCEDURE:

Choose two concurrent forces, each between 100 and 500 gram weight and not in the same direction. Add these two vectors to find the resultant force: use both a graphical construction and a numerical computation.

Check your result by setting up the two original forces on the force table, and finding experimentally the single force which will hold them in equilibrium. Random errors are due mainly to friction. You can estimate them by repeating the measurement several times. Are your measured values consistent with the computation and graphical construction?

Repeat the experiment but use three different original forces.

QUESTION: If the weight hangers used all have identical masses, can their weight be neglected?