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Vector Analysis Problems and Solutions

The document discusses vector analysis problems involving coplanar and non-coplanar vectors, directional derivatives, vector products, curl and gradient operators, and line, surface and volume integrals. It contains 20 problems involving determining whether vectors are coplanar, finding loci of points, maxima of directional derivatives, angles between vectors, proving vector identities, and evaluating various vector integrals.

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Sharan Rarhi
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219 views2 pages

Vector Analysis Problems and Solutions

The document discusses vector analysis problems involving coplanar and non-coplanar vectors, directional derivatives, vector products, curl and gradient operators, and line, surface and volume integrals. It contains 20 problems involving determining whether vectors are coplanar, finding loci of points, maxima of directional derivatives, angles between vectors, proving vector identities, and evaluating various vector integrals.

Uploaded by

Sharan Rarhi
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Vector Analysis

1. Examine whether the vectors (2, −5,1), (1,4,0), (−3,1, −1) are coplanar.
2. If the volume of a tetrahedron be 2 units and three of its vertices be A(1,1,0), B(1,0,1) and
C(2, −1,1), then find the locus of the fourth vertex.
3. Find the maximum value of the directional derivative of 𝜑 = 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 at the point
(1,3,2). Find also the direction in which it occurs.
1
4. If 𝑎⃗, 𝑏⃗⃗, 𝑐⃗ are three unit vectors such that 𝑎⃗ × (𝑏⃗⃗ × 𝑐⃗) = 2 𝑏⃗⃗ , then find the angles that 𝑎⃗
makes with 𝑏⃗⃗ and 𝑐⃗, 𝑏⃗⃗ and 𝑐⃗ being non-collinear.
2
5. Prove that [𝑎⃗ × 𝑏⃗⃗, 𝑏⃗⃗ × 𝑐⃗, 𝑐⃗ × 𝑎⃗] = [𝑎⃗, 𝑏⃗⃗, 𝑐⃗] .

6. Prove that the vectors 𝑎⃗, 𝑏⃗⃗, 𝑐⃗ are non-coplanar if and only if the vectors 𝑎⃗ × 𝑏⃗⃗, 𝑏⃗⃗ × 𝑐⃗, 𝑐⃗ × 𝑎⃗
are non-coplanar.
𝑑𝑎⃗⃗ ⃗⃗
𝑑𝑏 ⃗⃗)
𝑑(𝑎⃗⃗×𝑏
7. If = 𝑟⃗ × 𝑎
⃗⃗ and = 𝑟⃗ × 𝑏⃗, show that ⃗⃗ × 𝑏⃗).
= 𝑟⃗ × (𝑎
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

8. If the volume of a tetrahedron be 2 units and three of its vertices are A(1,1,0), B(1,0,1) and
C(2,-1,1), then find the locus of the fourth vertex.

9. Show that [𝑎⃗ + 𝑏⃗⃗, 𝑏⃗⃗ + 𝑐⃗, 𝑐⃗ + 𝑎⃗] = 2[𝑎⃗, 𝑏⃗⃗, 𝑐⃗].

10. If (𝑎⃗ × 𝑏⃗⃗) × 𝑐⃗ = 𝑎⃗ × (𝑏⃗⃗ × 𝑐⃗), then prove that either 𝑏⃗⃗ is parallel to 𝑎⃗ × 𝑐⃗ or 𝑎⃗ and 𝑐⃗ are
collinear.
11. If 𝑟⃗ = (𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑡)𝑖 + (𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑡)𝑗 + (𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛼)𝑘, 𝛼 is a constant angle, then show that
𝑑𝑟⃗ 𝑑2 𝑟⃗ 𝑑3 𝑟⃗
[ 𝑑𝑡 ] = 𝑎3 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛼.
𝑑𝑡 2 𝑑𝑡 3

12. Show that the four points whose position vectors are 𝑎⃗, 𝑏⃗⃗, 𝑐⃗, 𝑑⃗, are coplanar if and only if

[𝑎⃗, 𝑏⃗⃗, 𝑐⃗] = [𝑏⃗⃗, 𝑐⃗, 𝑑⃗ ] + [𝑐⃗, 𝑎⃗, 𝑑⃗] + [𝑎⃗, 𝑏⃗⃗ , 𝑑⃗].

13. Show that the directional derivative of 𝑓 = 𝑥𝑦 2 𝑧 − 4𝑥𝑧 2 at the point (2,1, −1) in the
16
direction 2𝑖 − 2𝑗 + 𝑘 is 3 .

14. Find the angle of intersection of the surfaces 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 = 9 and 𝑧 = 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 − 3 at the


point (2,-1,2).

15. If the vectors 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ be irrotational, then show that the vector 𝑎⃗ × 𝑏⃗⃗ is solenoidal.
16. If 𝑟⃗ = 𝑥𝑖 + 𝑦𝑗 + 𝑧𝑘 and 𝑟 = |𝑟⃗|, then
𝑟⃗ 𝑟⃗
(i) 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑙 (𝑟) = 0 ⃗⃗. ( 3 ) = 0
(ii) ∇ 𝑟

17. If the vector 𝑎⃗ = 2𝑥𝑦𝑖 + 3𝑥 2 𝑦𝑗 − 3𝑝𝑦𝑧𝑘 be solenoidal at (1,1,1), then find the value of 𝑝.
𝜋
18. Show that ∫0 5𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑖 − 7𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑗)𝑑𝑡 = 5𝑖 − 7𝑗.
2

2
19. If 𝑎⃗ = 𝑡𝑖 − 𝑡 2 𝑗 + (𝑡 − 1)𝑘 and 𝑏⃗⃗ = 2𝑡 2 𝑖 + 6𝑡𝑘, find the values of ∫0 𝑎⃗ . 𝑏⃗⃗ 𝑑𝑡 and
2
∫0 𝑎⃗ × 𝑏⃗⃗ 𝑑𝑡.
2 𝑑2 𝑎⃗⃗
20. If 𝑎⃗ = 5𝑡 2 𝑖 + 𝑡𝑗 − 𝑡 3 𝑘, then prove that ∫1 (𝑎⃗ × 𝑑𝑡 2 ) = −14𝑖 + 75𝑗 − 15𝑘.

Common questions

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Vectors are irrotational if their curl is zero, meaning \( \nabla \times \mathbf{F} = 0 \). This condition implies the field has no rotation or circulation at any point. If each of two vector fields is irrotational separately, their cross product forms a solenoidal vector field wherein the divergence is zero, indicating volume conservation without sources or sinks. This link highlights the interplay between rotation and divergence-free properties in vector calculus .

Given vector functions \( \mathbf{a}(t) = ti - t^2j + (t-1)k \) and \( \mathbf{b}(t) = 2t^2i + 6tk \), for \( \\int_0^2 \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} dt \), compute the dot product \( (t)(2t^2) + (-t^2)(0) + (t-1)(6t) \), resulting in terms integral over \([0, 2]\). To integrate the cross product \( \\int_0^2 \mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b} dt \), first calculate \( \mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b} \), followed by integrating the resultant vector components over the parameter range .

If a vector \( \mathbf{a} = 2xy\mathbf{i} + 3x^2y\mathbf{j} - 3pyz\mathbf{k} \) is solenoidal, we apply the condition \( \nabla \cdot \mathbf{a} = 0 \). This gives \( \frac{\partial}{\partial x}(2xy) + \frac{\partial}{\partial y}(3x^2y) + \frac{\partial}{\partial z}(-3pyz) = 2y + 3x^2 - 3py = 0 \). Solving this at \( (1,1,1) \), it results in \( 2 + 3 - 3p = 0 \), thus \( p = \frac{5}{3} \).

To prove that vectors \( \mathbf{a}, \mathbf{b}, \mathbf{c} \) are non-coplanar using their cross products, you need to show that the determinant \([\mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b}, \mathbf{b} \times \mathbf{c}, \mathbf{c} \times \mathbf{a}]\) is non-zero. The cross products \( \mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b}, \mathbf{b} \times \mathbf{c}, \mathbf{c} \times \mathbf{a} \) form the edges of a new parallelepiped, and the determinant condition implies that the volume is non-zero, hence they are non-coplanar .

A vector field \( \mathbf{F} \) being solenoidal implies that it is divergence-free, meaning \( \nabla \cdot \mathbf{F} = 0 \). To demonstrate this property, calculate the divergence of the vector field and verify that it equals zero for all points in the space. In the context of vectors \( \mathbf{a}, \mathbf{b} \) being irrotational (curl = 0), their cross product \( \mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b} \) can be shown to be solenoidal by checking the divergence condition .

Given vertices A(1,1,0), B(1,0,1), and C(2,-1,1) and a volume of 2 units for the tetrahedron, the locus of the fourth vertex D(x,y,z) can be found using the scalar triple product. The formula for volume is \( \frac{1}{6} |\mathbf{AB} \cdot (\mathbf{AC} \times \mathbf{AD})| = 2 \). Solving the equation gives the relation that the points D must satisfy. Calculating, we find the locus in terms of coordinates \( x, y, z \) respects the equation given by substituting the product calculation .

To determine if three vectors, say \( \mathbf{u}, \mathbf{v}, \mathbf{w} \), are coplanar, you compute the scalar triple product \( \mathbf{u} \cdot (\mathbf{v} \times \mathbf{w}) \). If the result is zero, the vectors are coplanar. This is because the scalar triple product represents the volume of the parallelepiped formed by the vectors, and if this volume is zero, the vectors lie in the same plane .

To demonstrate a vector identity such as \((\mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b}) \times \mathbf{c} = \mathbf{a} \times (\mathbf{b} \times \mathbf{c})\), apply the known vector triple product identity which states that \( (\mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b}) \times \mathbf{c} = (\mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{c})\mathbf{b} - (\mathbf{b} \cdot \mathbf{c})\mathbf{a} \). By equating the expressions from each side of the equation and simplifying, we conclude the conditions for either vector relationships such as collinearity or parallelism .

The angle of intersection between two surfaces at a point can be determined by taking the gradients of their defining functions at that point. For surfaces defined by \( f(x, y, z) = 0 \) and \( g(x, y, z) = 0 \), calculate the dot product of their gradients \( \nabla f \) and \( \nabla g \) at the intersection point, and use the relation \( \cos \theta = \frac{\nabla f \cdot \nabla g}{|\nabla f| |\nabla g|} \) to determine the angle \( \theta \). This will give the angle between the surfaces .

The directional derivative of \( \phi = x^2 - y^2 + z^2 \) at point (1,3,2) can be found using the gradient \( \nabla \phi = (2x, -2y, 2z) \), which at (1,3,2) is \((2, -6, 4)\). The maximum value of the directional derivative is the magnitude of this gradient vector, \( \sqrt{2^2 + (-6)^2 + 4^2} = \sqrt{56} \), and it occurs in the direction of the gradient vector \((2, -6, 4)\). This is because the maximum directional derivative is attained in the direction of the gradient .

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