Vectors

Does a mass of 3g added to a mass of 5g always produce a total mass of 8g? You may think this is a stupid question and say, ‘Of course it does’. You would be quite right. But does a force of 3N added to a force of 5N always produce a force of 8N? What would be the result if they pulled on a body in opposite directions? Two forces, one of 5N one way and the other of 3N the other way are equivalent to one single force of 2N in the first direction. The single force to which the other two added together are equivalent is termed the resultant force.