Vector analysis is crucial for solving problems involving forces and motion, like the motion of the pucks described here. Vectors carry both magnitude and direction, which is fundamental when analyzing physical scenarios. For the exercise, we treat the velocity of the puck as a vector, helping us to better understand its motion.
- The direction of the vector represents which way the puck is moving.
- The magnitude (or length) of the vector represents the speed of the puck.
To conserve momentum, if one puck moves west with a certain velocity vector, the remaining pucks must have velocity vectors that, when added together, cancel out the westward vector to keep the total system momentum unchanged. By using vector sum analysis, you can deduce that the pucks should move symmetrically at an angle of 120° to each other to achieve this balancing act.