Writer’s choice
read the sections of the textbook that deal with the material covered
For this assignment, you should have read sections 3-1 and 3-2 of the text. Vectors are
an important mathematical concept so you will be able to nd plenty of additional material
of the appropriate level. It might also be helpful for you to track down, and read, some of
this material.
Note: some of this material may not have been covered in class before the assignment
is posted, this material will be covered before the assignment is due. Do not wait for all
the material to have been covered to start the assignment, read the sections already covered
and attempt the problems and questions dealing with this material before moving on
ASSIGNMENT CONCEPTUAL QUESTIONS
These questions are to be answered with a short paragraph. You will be graded on the
physics content of your answer as well as on its structure and conciseness. Remember, as
with everything, neatness counts.
1. If ~V
= ~V
1 + ~V
2, is j~V
j necessarily greater than j~V
1j and/or j~V
2j? Discuss.
2. On page 79 of Serway & Vuille question 2.
ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
These problems are to be answered with detailed calculations. You will be graded on the
physics content of your answer as well as on its structure, completeness and mathematical
correctness. Remember, as with everything, neatness counts.
1. Find the x and y components of the vectors ~A
, ~B
, ~C
, and ~D
, where their magnitudes
are given by j~ Aj = 64, j~B
j = 55, j~C
j = 7:0, j~D
j = 73 and their angles are as shown in
the gure below. When the components have been determined, write the vectors in
terms of their components.
2. On page 81 of Serway & Vuille problem 15
3. On page 81 of Serway & Vuille problem 17
4. Two vectors ~a and ~b have equal magnitudes of 28.4 units. They are oriented as shown
in the gure below and their vector sum is ~r. Find
3
(a) the x and y components of ~r,
(b) the magnitude of ~r, and
(c) the angle ~r makes with the positive x-axis.
EXAM PREPARATION PROBLEMS
Exam preparation problems are not to be handed in for marking. They are problems
intended to help students study. These problems, or similar problems, may appear on exams.
While solutions to these problems will be provided students are strongly encouraged to work
on these before the solutions are posted. Physics education research has shown that simply
studying solutions has almost no educational benet.
On page 80 of Serway & Vuille problem 11
On page 81 of Serway & Vuille problem 13
On page 81 of Serway & Vuille problem 19
On page 81 of Serway & Vuille problem 21