A lab report of forces being in equilibrium.

Purpose. The purpose of this lab was to understand equilibrium. To do this, you must find the equilibrant of the resultant of three vectors, both mathematically and graphically and test the results. Procedure: A) Put the weights necessary for each of the vector forces on each hook. B) Set the wheels of the force table at the proper angles, including the calculated equilibrant. C) When placing the hooks on the wheels, be careful to hold …

…resultant. This lab proves that the equilibrant counteracts the forces of three other vectors by testing data found by both graphing and calculating x- and y- coordinates. Each method has advantages and disadvantages in this lab. For example, a mathematical solution has less chance for error, but can be a tedious process. Graphing shows a model to scale, but can cause many errors. For this lab, it is most appropriate to use a mathematical solution.