Key Concept 4: Vectors

1. The diagram shows a solid object on a flat surface, 3. Which diagram shows the magnitude and
with two forces acting on the object. direction of the resultant R of the two forces F 1 and
F2?

√ A.
What is the resultant force on the object?

A. 1 N to the left
√ B. 1 N to the right
C. 7 N to the left
D. 7 N to the right B.

2. Two forces P and Q act on an object.

Which diagram shows the resultant of these two
forces?

C.

A.

D.
B.

4. The diagram shows an object being acted upon by

two forces.

√ C.

What is the size of the resultant force on the object?

A. 2.0 N
D. √ B. 3.0 N
C. 9.0 N
D. 18 N

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5. An object is acted upon by a 3N force and by a 4N 7. The diagram shows the only three forces acting on
force. Each diagram shows the two forces. Which an object.
diagram also shows the resultant X of these two
forces?

A.

What is the resultant force on the object?

√ A. 0N

B. B. 5.0 N towards the left

C. 5.0 N towards the right
D. 10.0 N towards the right

8. A ball of weight 1.2 N drops through the air at

√ C. terminal (constant) velocity. A sudden gust of
wind exerts a horizontal force of 0.5 N on the ball
from the left. Which diagram shows the resultant
force on the ball while the wind is blowing?

D.
√ A.

6. Which combination of forces produces a resultant

force acting towards the right?

B.

A.

 B.

C.

C.

D.

D.

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9. The diagram shows the only two forces F1 and F2 10. The diagram shows all the horizontal forces
acting on an object. The magnitude of each force is acting on a truck.
represented by the length of each arrow.

What is the size of the resultant horizontal force on

the truck?

The resultant force acting on the object is R. Which A. 200 N

vector diagram shows how forces F1 and F2 add to
produce R? B. 300 N
√ C. 700 N
D. 1000 N

A.

B.

C.

√ D.

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Free response:

1.
a. State the difference between a scalar quantity and a vector quantity.
A scalar has only magnitude (size) while a vector has both magnitude and direction

b. State one example of a vector quantity.

Any appropriate example: displacement, velocity, force…….

c. The figure below shows the top of a flagpole. The flagpole is held vertical by two ropes. The first of these
ropes has a tension in it of 100 N and is at an angle of 60° to the flagpole. The other rope has a tension T, as
shown. The resultant force is down the pole and of magnitude 200 N.

In the space below, using a scale of 1 cm = 20 N, draw a scale drawing to find the value of the tension T.
Clearly label 100 N, 200 N and T on your drawing.

• diagram in any orientation;

• triangle or rectangle with hypotenuse/diagonal of length 1⁄2 that of one side
• value in range 165N – 180N inclusive

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2. The figure below shows a heavy ball B of weight W suspended from a fixed beam by two ropes P and Q.

P and Q are both at an angle of 45° to the horizontal. The tensions in P and Q are each 30 N.
a. In the space below, draw a scale diagram to find the resultant of the tensions in P and Q. Use a scale of 1.0
cm to represent 5.0 N. Label the forces and show their directions with arrows.

OR

𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 = 5.0 × 8.5 = 42.5 𝑁

b. State the direction of the resultant.

Vertically upwards

c. State the magnitude of W.

Same as value in (a) = 42.5 N

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3.
a. Mass is a scalar quantity. State another scalar quantity.
Temperature, time, speed, distance……

b. Force is a vector quantity. State another vector quantity.

Velocity, displacement, acceleration…….

c. Fig. 2.1, not to scale, shows the view from above of the boat, now on a fast-flowing river. The boat
accelerates. Two forces are shown acting on the boat. The resultant of these forces is at right angles to the
river banks.

Fig. 2.2 is an incomplete vector diagram of the forces acting on the boat.

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 The force from the river current is 80 kN.
i. Determine the scale that has been used in the vector diagram.
1cm: 20kN

ii. On Fig. 2.2, complete the vector diagram to determine the magnitude and direction of the force
from the engine. Measure the angle between the direction of the current and the force from the
engine.
𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒 = 11.5 × 20 𝑘𝑁 = 230 𝑘𝑁
𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 = 110˚

4.
a. Fig. 4.1 shows a top view of a tourist vehicle in a game park and two elephants pushing against the vehicle.
The two forces indicated are at right angles to each other.
In the space below, draw a scale vector diagram to
determine the magnitude of the resultant force. Label
the two forces applied and the resultant, and clearly
state the scale you use.
Scale used: 1cm = 1.0 kN
R = 7.2 kN

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5. An object of weight W is suspended by two ropes from a beam, as shown in the figure below.

The tensions in the ropes are 50.0 N and 86.6 N, as shown.

a. In the space below, draw a scale diagram to find the resultant of the two tensions.
Use a scale of 1.0 cm = 10 N.
Clearly label the resultant.
Parallelogram or triangle may have any orientation.

b. From your diagram, find the value of the resultant.

100 cm

c. State the direction in which the resultant is acting.

Vertically up/opposite to W

d. State the value of W.

Same as (b) = 100 cm

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