PhET: Vector Addition

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

Mathematics

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

In this PhET activity, students will explore vectors in 1D or 2D, and discover how vectors add together. Students will specify vectors in Cartesian or polar coordinates, and see the magnitude, angle, and components of each vector. Students will experiment with vector equations and compare vector sums and differences. This activity could be used to help teach a lesson on probability. This PheET activity can be downloaded and assigned to Google Classroom.

Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 09-12 - Precalculus

MA19.PRE.12
Add and subtract vectors.

Vocabulary

End-to-end
Component-wise
Parallelogram Rule
Sum of Two Vectors
Additive Inverse
Vector Subtraction

Knowledge

Students know:

The aspects of end-to-end, componentwise, and the parallelogram rule involving vectors.
The additive inverse of a vector has the same magnitude but the opposite direction.

Skills

Students are able to:

Draw and find the diagonal of a parallelogram.
Represent vectors on an xy-plane.
Find the components of a vector given the direction and magnitude.
Find the additive inverse of a vector.

Understanding

Students understand that:

There are multiple ways to find the sum and difference of a pair of vectors.
The magnitude of the sum of two vectors will not be the same as the sum of the magnitudes unless the vectors are in the same direction.
The vector with the larger magnitude will have the greatest effect on the result.

CR Resource Type

Learning Activity

Resource Provider

PhET

License Type

Attribution

https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/vector-addition

Comments or Notes

Founded in 2002 by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, the PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder creates free interactive math and science simulations. PhET sims are based on extensive education research and engage students through an intuitive, game-like environment where students learn through exploration and discovery.

If the teacher does not have a PhET account, he/she can create a FREE account. (More information on how PhET works can be found at Getting Started.)

This work is attributed to:
PhET Interactive Simulations
University of Colorado
https://phet.colorado.edu.

Approved Date

2020-08-11

Design by Adaptive Theme