

= √(9 2 + 4 2) N = 9.85 N Calculating Magnitude In Physics … Simple And Fun, Right?Īlthough some college students have often indicated that how to calculate magnitude using the parallelogram method is difficult, we have demonstrated that it is indeed simple. Now, to calculate the magnitude of the resultant force, here is the equation to apply. This simply means that the 9 N will be acting in the X direction while 4 N will be exerted in the y-direction. Therefore, the resultant vector for the X-coordinate will be 4+5=9 N and for the Y-coordinate will be 3+1=4 N. Besides, wind adds another force of 5 N in the X-direction and 3 N in the Y-direction. The water is impacting 4 N in an X-direction and 1 N in the Y-direction. Think of a boat in the sea using the wind to sail. Here is a demonstration that should help you solve your physics homework. The secret is ensuring that you add the corresponding X and Y components. If you have several forces acting on an object, you need first to calculate the resultant vector. Therefore, here is the formula to use:į=√(x 2 + y 2+ z 2) The Resultant Magnitude Of Two Or More Vectors This means you will have Y force, X forces, and Z coordinate. You will still use the same equation but add another component, Z coordinate. Therefore, the magnitude of this force is 5 N.Īt this point, one might ask: “What is the formula of finding the resultant vector when you have three component forces. Here is how to work it out in your problems. To put it differently, the resultant force is the sum of x 2 and y 2. You can express it using the equation below: (with x for the x-coordinate and y for the y-coordinate). If a force, call it 4 Newtons (N) moving in X-direction and 3 N in Y-direction, the Pythagoras theorem can help you to calculate the magnitude. Then, the hypotenuse becomes the resultant force from X and Y. Here, you need to think of Y coordinate as the height of a triangle and X coordinate as the force. If you have been thinking of how to find the magnitude of a force vector, you need to use the components together with Pythagoras theorem, creating a magnitude formula in physics. How To Calculate The Magnitude Of A Vector (A Single Force) But you should not apply it elsewhere in physics or mathematics because negative signs are very important. That is the only time in physics when you are allowed to ignore the negative. That implies that in the case of 7, or -7, the object is a distance of seven from zero. Magnitude is the distance (call it mathematical distance) from zero. If the number is -7, take the absolute value, the magnitude is 7. If you take a number such as 1, 2, 4.5, or other simple numbers, the magnitude is the same number. Magnitude helps to tell how big an impact is towards a specific direction.įinding the magnitude of simple numbers is rather direct.
