Question

To describe and analyze motion in 2D (or higher), the use of vectors is the common method used. From your work with vectors, past and present, do you find the vector method a good (even best) way to analyze quantities in 2D? Are there other methods that could be used that will give the same results? From your own experience, what are the pros and cons in using the vector method?

Please no handwritten or typed responses - only typed answers.

Answer 1

Remember, the answer is my own point of view.

I think the vector method is quiet good as it is easy to understand and execute. Now, there are two vector methods basically known as mathematical and graphical. As per my view, mathematical method to resolve vectors and then finding resultant is quiet east as it gives a very clear picture of resultant magnitude and direction. In this method, we must take care of the direction towards which vector is pointing in order to take care of sign.

However, graphical method can be a challenge. In graphical method, we have parallelogram method. In this, we use head-to-tail method to draw vector. However, in this, it is very much necessay to keep the length of vectors accurate otherwise resultant will be affected. Some pros and cons of this method are:

More difficult to draw accurately

Better for sketches, not for drawing

Therefore, I think resolving the vectors into sine, and cos components is actually easy.