VECTORS

1. The expression  1 ˆ
 i+
1 ˆ
j is a
 2 2 

(a) Unit vector (b) Null vector

(c) Vector of magnitude (d) Scalar
Answer: (a)

Magnitude of a vector of the form A = aˆi + bjˆ + ckˆ is given by

| A |= a 2 + b 2 + c 2

ˆi ˆj 2
 1   1 
2

∴ Magnitude of + is   +  =1
2 2  2  2

2. The magnitude of a given vector with end points (4, – 4, 0)

and (– 2, – 2, 0) must be
(a) 6 (b) (c) 4 (d) 2 10
Answer: (d)
Vector joining A: (4, –4, 0) and B: (–2, –2, 0) is given by

AB = ( −2 − 4)iˆ + ( −2 − ( −4)) ˆj + (0 − 0)kˆ = −6iˆ + 2ˆj


AB = ( −6)2 + (2)2 = 40 = 2 10

3. The unit vector along ˆi + ˆj is

ˆi + ˆj
(a) (b) ˆi + ˆj (c) (d) 2

Answer: (c)

1
 
Unit vector along a vector is given by A
 = 
A

ˆi + ˆj ˆi + ˆj
∴ Unit vector along ˆi + ˆj is =
12 + 12 2

4. The angle made by the vector A = ˆi + ˆj with x- axis is

(a) 90° (b) 45° (c) 22.5° (d) 30°

Answer: (b)

Angle made by vector A = a ˆi + bjˆ with x-axis is

∴ θ = tan −1  1
 1  = 45
o

 

 
5. For the fig. , B and C

(a) (b) (c) (d)

Answer: (c)
Applying triangle’s law of vector addition, we get
(From tail of 1st vector to head of 2nd vector)

2
  
6. The vector P = a ˆi + ajˆ + 3kˆ and Q = a ˆi − 2ˆj − kˆ are perpendicular to
each other. The positive value of a is
(a) 3 (b) 4 (c) 9 (d) 13
Answer: (a)
  
P is perpendicular to if P.Q = 0
(a ˆi + ajˆ + 3k).(a
ˆ ˆi − 2ˆj − k)
ˆ =0

∴ a = 3 (positive value)

   
7. What is the angle between (P + Q) and (P × Q)

π
(a) 0 (b) 2
(c) 4
(d)π
Answer: (b)
     
P + Q lies in the plane containing P&Q . While P×Q is
 
perpendicular to both P & Q
    π
∴ angle between (P + Q) and (P × Q) is 2

8. The resultant of the two vectors having magnitude 2 and 3 is

1. What is the magnitude of their cross product
(a) 6 (b) 3 (c) 1 (d) 0
Answer: (d)
The vector are anti-parallel.

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 ∴ = (3) (2) sin π = 0

∴ The output is a null vector.


9. A vector points vertically upward and B points towards
north. The vector product is
(a) Zero (b) Along west
(c) Along east (d) Vertically downward
Answer: (b)
Keep fingers of your right hand towards sky and curl them
towards north. Your thumb will point towards west.

10. Two vectors P = 2iˆ + bjˆ + 2kˆ and Q = ˆi + ˆj + kˆ will be parallel if

(a) b = 0 (b) b = 1 (c) b = 2 (d) b= – 4
Answer: (c)
Vector A = a ˆi + a ˆj + a kˆ is parallel to vector
1 2 3

B = b1ˆi + b 2 ˆj + b3kˆ if

∴ 21 = b1 = 12 b=2

    
11. If | A × B | = | A .B |, then angle between and B will be
(a) 30° (b) 45° (c) 60° (d) 90°
Answer: (b)

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12. A metal sphere is hung by a string fixed to a wall. The sphere
is pushed away from the wall by a stick. The forces acting
on the sphere are shown in the diagram. Which of the
following statements is wrong if the sphere is in equilibrium
P
(a) W

(b)
(c)
(d) T = P + W
Answer: (d)

Sphere is in equilibrium.

On resolving we have
(1)
(2)
∴ T2 = P2 + W2
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 ∴ (D) is incorrect.
13. What vector must be added to the two vectors ˆi − 2ˆj + 2kˆ and
ˆ so that the resultant may be a unit vector along
2iˆ + ˆj − k, x-
axis
(a) 2iˆ + ˆj − kˆ (b) −2iˆ + ˆj − kˆ (c) 2iˆ − ˆj + kˆ (d) −2iˆ − ˆj − kˆ
Answer: (b)
Let the required vector be .

A + ( ˆi − 2ˆj + 2k)
ˆ + (2iˆ + ˆj − k)
ˆ = ˆi


A = −2iˆ + ˆj − kˆ

14. The angles which a vector ˆi + ˆj + 2 kˆ makes with X, Y and Z

axes respectively are
(a) 60°, 60°, 60° (b) 45°, 45°, 45°
(c) 60°, 60°, 45° (d) 45°, 45°, 60°
Answer: (c)

If a vector A = aˆi + bjˆ + ckˆ makes angles α,β & γ with x, y and z
axes respectively then
cos α =
a
, cos β =
b
and cos γ =
c
2
a +b +c 2 2 2
a +b +c 2 2
a + b2 + c 2
2

1 1
∴ cos α = 2 2 2
=
2
1 +1 + ( 2 )

1 1
cos β = = β = 60o
2 2
1 +1 + ( 2) 2 2

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 2 1
cos γ = = γ = 45o
2 2
1 + 1 + ( 2) 2 2

15. A particle moves towards east with velocity 5 m/s. After 10

seconds its direction changes towards north with same
velocity. The average acceleration of the particle is
(a) Zero (b) 1 m / s N − W 2

(c) 1
m / s2 N − E (d) 1
m / s2 S − W
2 2

Answer: (b)

Assume +ve x-axis along east and +ve y-axis along north.
 
Vi = 5 ˆi Vf = 5 ˆj
 
 Vf − Vi 5iˆ − 5ˆj  −1 ˆ  1  ˆ
a = = = i +  j
∆t 10  2  2

∴ Avg. acceleration has magnitude 1

m/s2 along N – W.
2

 
16. Which of the following is not true? If A = 3iˆ + 4ˆj and B = 6iˆ + 8 ˆj

where A and B are the magnitudes of and B
 
(a) (b) (c) A .B = 48 (d) A = 5
Answer: (c)

A = 34 + 42 = 5