Resultant of two vector forces (direction/magnitude conditions)

Given two forces as vectors with one or more unknown parameters, use conditions such as the resultant being parallel to a given vector, perpendicular, or having a specified direction to find unknowns.

6 questions · Moderate -0.5

1.10c Magnitude and direction: of vectors
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Edexcel M1 2014 June Q2
10 marks Moderate -0.8
  1. Two forces \(( 4 \mathbf { i } - 2 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { N }\) and \(( 2 \mathbf { i } + q \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { N }\) act on a particle \(P\) of mass 1.5 kg . The resultant of these two forces is parallel to the vector \(( 2 \mathbf { i } + \mathbf { j } )\).
    1. Find the value of \(q\).
    At time \(t = 0 , P\) is moving with velocity \(( - 2 \mathbf { i } + 4 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { m } \mathrm { s } ^ { - 1 }\).
  2. Find the speed of \(P\) at time \(t = 2\) seconds.
Edexcel M1 2016 June Q7
11 marks Moderate -0.3
7. Two forces \(\mathbf { F } _ { 1 }\) and \(\mathbf { F } _ { 2 }\) act on a particle \(P\). The force \(\mathbf { F } _ { 1 }\) is given by \(\mathbf { F } _ { 1 } = ( - \mathbf { i } + 2 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { N }\) and \(\mathbf { F } _ { 2 }\) acts in the direction of the vector \(( \mathbf { i } + \mathbf { j } )\).
Given that the resultant of \(\mathbf { F } _ { 1 }\) and \(\mathbf { F } _ { 2 }\) acts in the direction of the vector ( \(\mathbf { i } + 3 \mathbf { j }\) ),
  1. find \(\mathbf { F } _ { 2 }\) (7) The acceleration of \(P\) is \(( 3 \mathbf { i } + 9 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { m } \mathrm { s } ^ { - 2 }\). At time \(t = 0\), the velocity of \(P\) is \(( 3 \mathbf { i } - 22 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { m } \mathrm { s } ^ { - 1 }\)
  2. Find the speed of \(P\) when \(t = 3\) seconds.
Edexcel M1 2014 January Q7
12 marks Moderate -0.3
7. A force \(\mathbf { F }\) is given by \(\mathbf { F } = ( 9 \mathbf { i } + 13 \mathbf { j } )\) N.
  1. Find the size of the angle between the direction of \(\mathbf { F }\) and the vector \(\mathbf { j }\). The force \(\mathbf { F }\) is the resultant of two forces \(\mathbf { P }\) and \(\mathbf { Q }\). The line of action of \(\mathbf { P }\) is parallel to the vector ( \(2 \mathbf { i } - \mathbf { j }\) ). The line of action of \(\mathbf { Q }\) is parallel to the vector ( \(\mathbf { i } + 3 \mathbf { j }\) ).
  2. Find, in terms of \(\mathbf { i }\) and \(\mathbf { j }\),
    1. the force \(\mathbf { P }\),
    2. the force \(\mathbf { Q }\).
Edexcel M1 2020 January Q6
11 marks Moderate -0.8
6. A force \(\mathbf { F }\) is given by \(\mathbf { F } = ( 10 \mathbf { i } + \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { N }\).
  1. Find the exact value of the magnitude of \(\mathbf { F }\).
  2. Find, in degrees, the size of the angle between the direction of \(\mathbf { F }\) and the direction of the vector \(( \mathbf { i } + \mathbf { j } )\). The resultant of the force \(\mathbf { F }\) and the force \(( - 15 \mathbf { i } + a \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { N }\), where \(a\) is a constant, is parallel to, but in the opposite direction to, the vector \(( 2 \mathbf { i } - 3 \mathbf { j } )\).
  3. Find the value of \(a\). \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{916543cb-14f7-486c-ba3c-eda9be134045-19_104_59_2613_1886}
Edexcel M1 2009 January Q6
14 marks Standard +0.3
6. Two forces, \(( 4 \mathbf { i } - 5 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { N }\) and \(( p \mathbf { i } + q \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { N }\), act on a particle \(P\) of mass \(m \mathrm {~kg}\). The resultant of the two forces is \(\mathbf { R }\). Given that \(\mathbf { R }\) acts in a direction which is parallel to the vector ( \(\mathbf { i } - 2 \mathbf { j }\) ),
  1. find the angle between \(\mathbf { R }\) and the vector \(\mathbf { j }\),
  2. show that \(2 p + q + 3 = 0\). Given also that \(q = 1\) and that \(P\) moves with an acceleration of magnitude \(8 \sqrt { } 5 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 2 }\), (c) find the value of \(m\).
AQA AS Paper 1 2023 June Q17
4 marks Moderate -0.8
A particle, \(P\), is initially at rest on a smooth horizontal surface. A resultant force of \(\begin{bmatrix} 12 \\ 9 \end{bmatrix}\) N is then applied to \(P\), so that it moves in a straight line.
  1. Find the magnitude of the resultant force. [1 mark]
  2. Two fixed points \(A\) and \(B\) have position vectors $$\overrightarrow{OA} = \begin{bmatrix} 3 \\ 7 \end{bmatrix} \text{ metres} \quad \text{and} \quad \overrightarrow{OB} = \begin{bmatrix} k \\ k-1 \end{bmatrix} \text{ metres}$$ with respect to a fixed origin, \(O\) \(P\) moves in a straight line parallel to \(\overrightarrow{AB}\)
    1. Find \(\overrightarrow{AB}\) in terms of \(k\) [1 mark]
    2. Find the value of \(k\) [2 marks]