When a rectangle is constructed in order to add velocities, what represents the resultant of the velocities?

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When a rectangle is constructed in order to add velocities, what represents the resultant of the velocities?

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Answer 1 · 2016-07-02T13:42:30

If side $AB$ of a rectangle $ABCD$ represents a velocity in one direction and $AD$ - another, diagonal $AC$ represents the resultant direction of movement.

Explanation:

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Velocity is a vector with its direction and magnitude.

When two perpendicular forces act on an object, moving it simultaneously in two perpendicular directions from initial position $A$ towards $B$ and towards $D$ with known magnitudes, the resultant vector of velocity is represented in direction and magnitude by diagonal $AC$ of a rectangle built on vectors $AB$ and $AD$ .

Similar rule exists in a case of non-perpendicular directions of movement $AB$ and $AD$ , in which case $ABCD$ is a parallelogram and the resultant vector of velocity will be represented by a diagonal $AC$ of this parallelogram.

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When a rectangle is constructed in order to add velocities, what represents the resultant of the velocities?

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