Finding the Resultant Displacement of 4 Vectors

In summary, the speaker is a high school student who has recently started their physics and calculus courses and has been learning about vectors. They have had success with solving 2-3 vector problems but are struggling with a 4-vector addition problem. They have been working on it for 2 hours and are wondering if they need more knowledge of calculus and vectors to solve it. They receive advice to add the first three vectors and then add the fourth to the result, which helps them solve the problem. They express gratitude for the help and have successfully solved the problem.
  • #1
Chaalie
4
0
Hey, guys! I just started my senior high school physics and calculus courses. So far all we have done is the basics of vectors. I can find the resultant displacement of 2-3 vector problems fairly easily. My physics teacher told us to try and make up our own questions, to see if we could do them. I did two questions with 3 vector additions and had no problem. Now, I have tried to find the resultant displacement of a 4-vector addition problem, and I am not having much luck! I've been going at it for about 2 hours, coming close, but not quite there. The vectors are:
1: 15m [25 degrees East of North]
2: 10m [10 degrees East of South
3. 5m [East]
4. 10m [30 degrees South of West]

Now, I've made a little progress, but not too much. I was wondering if maybe I needed some more knowledge of calculus and vectors before I could continue? If so, great, it's something I'll learn this year! If not, I'll keep going until I get it!

Thanks,

Charlie
 
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  • #2
Try adding the first three and then add the fourth to the result. Then you won't be adding more than three vectors at the same time.
 
  • #3
Great! I guess I was just thinking about it too hard. I have it solved now!
Thanks for the help! :)
 

FAQ: Finding the Resultant Displacement of 4 Vectors

What is the definition of resultant displacement?

The resultant displacement is the final displacement of an object after multiple displacements have been applied to it in different directions. It takes into account both the magnitude and direction of each individual displacement.

How can 4 vectors be used to find the resultant displacement?

Four vectors can be added together to find the resultant displacement using vector addition. The magnitude and direction of each vector is taken into account and added together to determine the final displacement.

What is the difference between displacement and distance?

Displacement is a vector quantity that describes the change in position of an object from its initial position to its final position. Distance, on the other hand, is a scalar quantity that refers to the total length of the path traveled by an object, regardless of its starting and ending positions.

What is the importance of finding the resultant displacement?

Finding the resultant displacement is important in many fields of science, such as physics and engineering. It allows us to accurately describe the motion of objects and predict their future positions, which is crucial for understanding and analyzing various physical phenomena.

How can the Pythagorean theorem be applied to finding the resultant displacement?

The Pythagorean theorem can be used to find the magnitude of the resultant displacement when adding two vectors at right angles to each other. The squares of the two shorter sides of a right triangle are equal to the square of the hypotenuse, which represents the magnitude of the resultant displacement.

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