Activity: Worksheet 1 on Vector Addition

Materials:

metric ruler, protractor, calculator

About this Worksheet:

Students will be solving vector problems using two methods of vector addition discussed above: the method of components and a graphical method (either the parallelogram method or the consecutive method).

Procedure:

  1. Do a problem in class that can be solved using all three of the methods of vector addition described above.

  2. Students will complete #1 on this worksheet using the methods of components and a graphical method.

  3. Problems #2-3 are provided on a second worksheet; use these to cover vector addition in space flight (see Aspects of Launching a Spacecraft). The 3-dimensional information adds a third component, Vz and uses the following formulas:
    [3D Vector Addition Formulas]
  4. You may want students to work in groups.
Worksheet 2 on Vector Addition

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[LMGFP home page] Contact Karen Krupinsky (kgurley@gsfc.nasa.gov) or
Tammy Seergae (tseergae@umd.edu) for further information.