Section 6: Vectors
Fundamental Topics in Science © 2001 Texas Instruments Teacher Notes 6-7
Concepts
Students explore basic vector operations. Definitions and graphical examples are provided for:
•
Resultant of vector addition
•
Subtraction
•
Multiplication
•
Resolution of a vector into two perpendicular components
Note:
Numeric examples round the results to the appropriate number of significant figures. Students can review
significant figures in
PRECISION & ACCURACY
if needed.
Activity— Sailing a Vector Sea
The challenge is to sail the boat to a dock on the other side of a body of water. Students can
adjust one or more of the following elements:
•
Speed of the current (range from 0 to 5 m/sec)
•
Direction of the current (90
or
/
90
)
•
Speed of the boat (range from 0 to 10 m/sec)
•
Heading of the boat (
/
45
through 45
in 5
increments)
`
and
h
moves to the element to change.
Ã
+
Ä
increments and
ÃÄ
decrements a value.
The vector changes as the values are increased or decreased. Remind students that when
velocity is zero, the vector is a point.
Once the vectors are set, the student can press
Ã
SAIL
Ä
, and the boat sails along the resultant
velocity vector (the vector obtained from the vector addition of the current vector and the boat
vector).
•
If the boat misses the dock, the student can press
Ã
MORE
Ä
to modify one or more of the
entered parameters.
•
If the boat reaches the dock, the student can press
Ã
MORE
Ä
to play again or press
Ã
MENU
Ä
to
return to the
ACTIVITIES
menu.
Direct students to experiment with different values for each of the elements.
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