Resolving Vectors

A vector can be ‘broken down’ or resolved into its vertical and horizontal components.

We can see that this vector can be resolved into two perpendicular components, in this case two to the right and three up.

This is obvious when it is drawn on graph paper but becomes trickier when there isn’t a grid and still requires an element of scale drawing.

We can calculate the vertical and horizontal components if we know the magnitude and direction of the vector. In other words; we can work out the across and upwards bits of the vector if we know the length of the line and the angle between it and the horizontal or vertical axis.