written by
Andrew Duffy
published by
the Boston University
designer:
Wolfgang Christian
This Java applet illustrates the tail-to-tip method of adding vectors. The user can adjust lengths and angles of two vectors and view the resultant vector sum and components. Users may also set rotation rates for the vectors and view the resulting Lissajous patterns. Example student questions and activities are included. The simulation may be downloaded in EJS (xml) format or as a jar file.
This applet was created with EJS, Easy Java Simulations,, a code-generating tool that allows users without formal programming experience to develop computer simulations. It is part of a collection of similar resources created by the author.
<a href="https://www.compadre.org/introphys/items/detail.cfm?ID=9401">Duffy, Andrew. Boston University Physics Easy Java Simulation: Vector Addition - Patterns. Boston: Boston University, August 27, 2009.</a>
Duffy, A. (2009, August 27). Boston University Physics Easy Java Simulation: Vector Addition - Patterns. Retrieved January 15, 2026, from Boston University: https://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/Ejs/EP_chapter01/vector_addition_sim2_v4.html
Duffy, Andrew. Boston University Physics Easy Java Simulation: Vector Addition - Patterns. Boston: Boston University, August 27, 2009. https://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/Ejs/EP_chapter01/vector_addition_sim2_v4.html (accessed 15 January 2026).
%A Andrew Duffy %T Boston University Physics Easy Java Simulation: Vector Addition - Patterns %D August 27, 2009 %I Boston University %C Boston %U https://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/Ejs/EP_chapter01/vector_addition_sim2_v4.html %O application/java
%0 Electronic Source %A Duffy, Andrew %D August 27, 2009 %T Boston University Physics Easy Java Simulation: Vector Addition - Patterns %I Boston University %V 2026 %N 15 January 2026 %8 August 27, 2009 %9 application/java %U https://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/Ejs/EP_chapter01/vector_addition_sim2_v4.html
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This is the full index of Easy Java Simulations (EJS) by author Andrew Duffy, created for first-semester introductory physics. EJS is a software code generator developed by the Open Source Physics project.
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