Rank the vectors in the figure in order of decreasing value of their x component.
https://session.masteringphysics.com/problemAsset/…
Rank from the largest to the smallest. To rank items as equivalent, overlap them.
1 Answer
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I’m going to make this super simple:
You’re looking for “how much left/right” (X component) there is. If lets say for example the arrow is pointing perfectly to the right or the left along the X axis(↔) (like B). That means its 100% X component and 0% Y component.
If it’s pointing straight up or down (↕), then you have 100% Y component and 0% X component.
If its pointing somewhere in the middle (↗), then its some part X and some part Y. Just like a slope.
If the slope is “2” then the line goes up 2 and over 1.
That means the Y component is 2 and the X component is 1.
Therefore:
B is almost all x component (It looks like its only moving “left/right”) [100% X component]
A and D both seem to be moving more “left/right” than “up/down” [maybe 90% X component 10% Y component]
C is mostly Y component (almost completely in the “up/down” direction) [maybe 10% X component 90% Y component]
So: B, A & D, then C
