Vector Addition

The x-axis is horizontal, positive to the right.
The y-axis is vertical, positive up.
Angles are measured counter-clockwise from the positive x-axis.

The resultant, shown in green, goes from the tail of the red vector to the tip of the blue vector - it is the sum of the red and blue vectors.

Here are a few things to try:

• Can you create a resultant with a length of zero? If so, how?
• Is it possible for the two vectors and the resultant to all have the same length? If so, how?
• If you have two vectors of differing lengths, say 6 and 8, what is the length of the smallest possible resultant vector? What's the length of the largest possible resultant vector?

Created by Andrew Duffy, Boston University Physics Department.

Last update September 1, 1998