Vector Addition

Related Physics Education Research

See Arnold Arons A Guide to Introductory Physics Teaching and Student preconceptions about vector knematics by J. M Aguirre in Physics Teacher 26, 212-216 (1988).

Overview of Worksheet

Students are lead to develop the component method of vector addition by looking at the distance traveled on several different walks. They build on their understanding of trigonometry. This is not a lab; no data is taken or analyzed.

Approximate Time

One hour.

Required Student Background

Students must be familiar with trigonometry. A trig review before the worksheet is done has proved to be quite useful for many students.

Connections to the Tutorials

The tutorials develop use of graphical vector addition, this worksheet develops numerical vector addition. In addition, this worksheet is used in the Force Table lab.

Required Equipment

Only the worksheet itself. This is not a lab!

Evaluation of Worksheet

The evaluation here was more informal than for other worksheets, and was done by asking a vector addition question on the kinematics test. (The students had to add two vectors - one in the first quadrant and one in the third - both vectorially and numerically.) The forty-nine students scored an average of 79% of the points correct on this vector addition problem. There is no comparison group for this assessment, but the majority of these students did quite well on the problem.