Vectors and Scalars

Exercise
Subjective
Level - I
1. Is a vector necessarily changed if it is rotated through an angle?
2. Is it possible to add two vectors of unequal magnitudes to get zero resultant? Is it possible to added
three vectors of equal magnitudes and get zero?
3. Can you add three unit vectors to get a unit vector?
4. What are the properties of a & b if
(i) a  b  c and a + b = c (2) a  b  a  b (3) a  b  c & a 2  b2  c 2
5. The position vectors of two balls are given by

r1  2  m  i  7  m  j

r2  2  m  i  4  m  j
What will be the distance between the two balls?
6. A man is travelling in east direction with a velocity of 6 m/s. Rain is falling down vertically with a
speed of 4 m/s. Find the velocity of rain with respect to man and its angle with the vertical using the
 
concept that relative velocity of B w.r.t. A  vB  vA .
 
7. Let A and B be the two vectors of magnitude 10 unit each. If they are inclined to the X-axis at angles
30º and 60º respectively, find the resultant.
8. Can a vector have zero component along a line and still have non-zero magnitude?
9. The angle between a & a  b is 30º. Also a  10 . Find the minimum possible magnitude of b .
      
10. If A  i  2 j  2k and B  3i  j , find
       
(i) A  B (ii) A  B 
(iii) magnitude A  B (iv) angle between A and B
11.  
If a force 7iˆ  5ˆj  3kˆ N acts at a point P (2, 4, 2) meter, find the torque
(i) about the origin (ii) about a point (2, -1, 3).
    
12. The linear velocity of a rotating body is given v   r . If   ˆi  2ˆj  2kˆ and r  4ˆj  3kˆ , then what

is the magnitude of v ?

13. What is the area of parallelogram whose adjacent sides are given by vectors A  ˆi  2ˆj  3kˆ and

B  4iˆ  5ˆj ?

Level - II
1. Forces X, Y and Z have magnitudes 10 N, 5  
3  1 N and

5  
3  1 N . The forces Y and Z act in the same direction as
shown in the diagram. The resultant of X and Y and the
resultant of X and Z have the same magnitude. Find  , the
angle between X and Y.
 
2. Three vectors as shown in the figure have magnitudes a  3 , b  4

and c  10 .
(i) Find the x and y components of these vectors.
  
(ii) Find the numbers p and q such that c  pa  qb .

1
3. A buoy is attached to three tugboats by three ropes. The tugboats are engaged in a tug-of-war. One

tugboat pulls west on the buoy with a force F1 of magnitude 1000 N. The second tugboat pulls south

on the buoy with a force F2 of magnitude 2000 N. The third tugboat pulls northeast (that is, half way

between north and east), with a force F3 of magnitude 2000 N.
(a) Draw a free body diagram of forces acting on the buoy to represent this situation.
(b) Express each force in unit veactor form  ˆi, ˆj .

4. Two horizontal forces of magnitudes 10 N and P N act on a particle.

The force of magnitude 10 N acts due west and the force of magnitude
P N acts on a bearing of 30º east of north as shown in figure. The
resultant of these two forces acts due north. Find the magnitude of this
resultant.

5. A particle of mass = 5 kg is momentarily at rest at x = 0 at t = 0. It is

  
acted upon by two forces F1 and F2 . F1  70 ˆj N . The direction and

magnitude of F2 are unknown. The particle experiences a constant

acceleration, a , in the direction as shown. Neglect gravity. Use
    
F1  m a; v  u  a t

(a) Find the missing force F2 .
(b) What is the velocity vector of the particle at t = 10 sec?

(c) What third force, F3 is required to make the acceleration of the

particle zero? Either give magnitude and direction of F3 or its
components.

6. A particle is acted on by a number of coplanar forces as given below

i) 20 2 N, 45º due east of north ii) 40 N, 60º north of west
iii) 30 3 N, 30º west of south iv) 20 3 N due south
v) 30 3 N, 30º east of south
Determine the magnitude and direction of resultant force by rectangular resolution method.
7. A force of 35 N acts in the direction parallel to 2iˆ  3jˆ  6kˆ and it displaces a body from (1m, 0m,
3m) to (3m, 4m, 1m)
(a) Express the force vector (in unit vector form) (b) Find the work done.
8. Find the magnitude of component of 3iˆ  2ˆj  kˆ along the vector 12iˆ  3jˆ  4kˆ .
   
9. (a) Resultant of two vectors a and b is  ar to a . What can you say about the angle  between a

and b ? Which of them has greater magnitude?
 
(b) In the above case, if  =120º and greater of a and b is 8N, Find the smaller.
10. If a  b  a  b and a, b  0 , prove that a  b .

Objective
Level – I
2
1. Moment of inertia is:
(1) Scalar (2) Vector
(3) Neither scalar nor vector (4) Both scalar and vector
2. Position of a particle in a rectangular co-ordinate system is (3, 2, 5). Then its position vector will be:
(1) 3iˆ  5ˆj  2kˆ (2) 3iˆ  2ˆj  5kˆ (3) 5iˆ  3jˆ  2kˆ (4) None of these
 
3. Let a  5iˆ  3jˆ  4kˆ , then a is equal to
(1) 2 2 (2) 3 2 (3) 4 2 (4) 5 2
4. If two vectors 2iˆ  3jˆ  kˆ and 4iˆ  6ˆj  kˆ are parallel to each other then value of  is
(1) 0 (2) -2 (3) 3 (4) 4
   
5. ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
Let a  5i  3j  4k and b  6i  8 j . a b is equal to
(1) 9 (2) 50 2 (3) 5 2 (4) 12
       
6. If vector P, Q and R have magnitude 5, 12 and 13 units and P  Q  R the angle between Q and R is:
5 5 12 7
(1) cos 1 (2) cos 1 (3) cos 1 (4) cos 1
12 13 13 13
7. Two forces, each of magnitude F have a resultant of the same magnitude F. The angle between the
two forces is:
(1) 45º (2) 120º (3) 150º (4) 60º
   
8. ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
Let a  5i  3j  4k and b  6i  8 j . a  b is equal to
(1) 5 2 (2) 7 2 (3) 9 2 (4) 10 2
9. If a particle moves from point P(2, 3, 5) to point Q(3, 4, 5). Its displacement vector will be:
(1) ˆi  ˆj  10kˆ (2) ˆi  ˆj  5kˆ (3) ˆi  ˆj (4) 2iˆ  4ˆj  6kˆ
  
10. If A  3iˆ  ˆj  2kˆ , B   ˆi  3jˆ  4kˆ and C  xiˆ  yjˆ  zkˆ form a triangle then the value of x, y and z
  
are: (where A is the resultant of two vectors B and C )
(1) 4,2,6 (2) 2,4,6 (3) 4,-2,-6 (4) 1,2,3
11. A truck travelling due north at 20 m/s turns west and travels at the same speed. The change in its
velocity be:
(1) 40 m/s N-W (2) 20 2 m/s N-W (3) 40 m/s S-W (4) 20 2 m/s S-W
 
12. ˆ ˆ ˆ
Let a  5i  3j  4k and b  6i  8 j ˆ ˆ
 
a  b is equal to
(1) 2 37 (2) 3 37 (3) 138 (4) 5 37
 
13. Given vector A  2iˆ  3jˆ the angle between A and y-axis is
3 2 2 2
(1) tan 1 (2) tan 1 (3) sin 1 (4) cos 1
2 3 3 3
14. ˆ ˆ
The vector projection of a vector 3i  4k on y-axis is:
(1) 5 (2) 4 (3) 3 (4) zero
 ˆ ˆ ˆ

ˆ ˆ ˆ  
15. Let a  2i  3j  k , b   i  3j  4k . Evaluate a  b
(1) 1 (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4
16. A body, acted upon by a force of 50 N is displaced through a distance 10 m in a direction making an
angle of 60º with the force. The work done by the force is:
(1) 200 J (2) 100 J (3) 300 J (4) 250 J
 
17. A force F  5i  6j  4k acting on a body produces a displacement S  6i  5kˆ . Work done by the
ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
force is
(1) 10 units (2) 18 units (3) 11 units (4) 5 units
3
 
18. 
A body, constrained to move in the Y-direction is subjected to force given F  2iˆ  15jˆ  6kˆ N . 
What is the work done by this force in moving the body a distance 10 m along the Y-axis:
(1) 20 J (2) 150 J (3) 160 J (4) 190 J
19.   
Angle between the vector ˆi  ˆj and ˆj  kˆ is: 
(1) 90º (2) 0º (3) 180º (4) 60º
   
20. ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
If A  3i  j  2k and B  2i  2 j  4k then value of A  B will be:
(1) 8 2 (2) 8 3 (3) 8 5 (4) 5 8
   
21.  
The angle between vector A  B and B  A is  
(1) zero (2)  (3)  4 (4)  2
 
22. The torque of a force F  3iˆ  ˆj  5kˆ acting at the point r  7iˆ  3jˆ  kˆ is:
(1) 14iˆ  38ˆj  16kˆ (2) 4iˆ  4ˆj  6kˆ (3) 21iˆ  4ˆj  4kˆ (4) 14iˆ  34ˆj  16kˆ
 
23. The area of the parallelogram represented by the vectors A  2iˆ  3jˆ and B  ˆi  4ˆj is:
(1) 14 units (2) 7.5 units (3) 10 units (4) 5 units

Level II
  
1. The resultant of two vectors A and B is perpendicular to the vector A

and its magnitude is equal to half of the magnitude of vector B . The
 
angle between A and B is:
(A) 120º (B) 150º
(C) 135º (D) None of these
       
2. Given that A  B  C . If A  4 B  5 and C  61 . The angle between A and B is
(1) 30º (2) 60º (3) 90º (4) 120º
3. Mark the correct statement
           
(1) A  B  A  B (2) A  B  A  B (3) A  B  A  B (4) All of the above
       
4. The resultant C of A and B is perpendicular to A . Also, A  C . The angle between A and B is :
 3 5 7
(1) rad (2) rad (3) rad (4) rad
4 4 4 4
 
5. Two vectors A and B are at an angle of 60º with each other. Their resultant makes an angle of 45º
  
with A . If B = 2 units, then A is
(1) 3 (2) 3  1 (3) 3 1 (4) 3 2
    
6. The angle between two vectors A and B is  . Resultant of these vectors R makes an angle with A .
2
Which of the following is true?
B
(1) A = 2B (2) A  (3) A = B (4) AB = 1
2
     
7. The magnitude of vector A, B and C are 3, 4 and 5 unit respectively, and A, B  C then the angle
 
between A and B is
(1) 0 (2)  (3)  2 (4)  4
   
8. Two forces of F1 =500 N due east and F2 =250 N due north have their common initial point. F2  F1 is:
 
(1) 250 5N, tan 1  2  WN (2) 250N, tan 1  2  WN

4
  3  
(3) zero (4) 750N, tan 1   NW
4
9. In a two dimensional motion of a particle, the particle moves
 
from point A, position vector r1 , to point B, position vector r2 . If
 
the magnitudes of these vectors are, respectively, r1 =3 and r2 =
4 and the angles they make with the x-axis are 1  75º and
2  15º , respectively, then find the magnitude of the
displacement vector.
(1) 15 (2) 13
(3) 17 (4) 15
     
10. If A  B  A  B then the angle between A and B is
(1) 60º (2) 0º (3) 120º (4) 90º
   
11. ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
If A  4i  3j and B  6i  8 j then magnitude and direction of A  B will be
3 1  3
(1) 5, tan 1   (2) 5 5, tan 1   (3) 10, tan-1 (4) 25, tan 1  
4 2  4
12. A bird moves from point (1, -2, 3) to (4,2,3). If the speed of the bird is 10 ms-1, then the velocity
vector of the bird is:
(1) 5  ˆi  2ˆj  3kˆ  (2) 5  4iˆ  2ˆj  3kˆ  (3) 0.6iˆ  0.8jˆ (4) 6iˆ  8jˆ

   

13. The three vector OA , OB and OC have the same magnitude R . Then the
sum of these vectors have magnitude:
 
(1) R (2) 2R
 
(3) 3 R (4) 1  2  R

14. The projection of a vector r̂  3iˆ  ˆj  2kˆ on the x–y plane has magnitude:
(1) 3 (2) 4 (3) 14 (4) 10
     
15. A  2iˆ  ˆj , B  3jˆ  kˆ and C  6iˆ  2kˆ . Value of A  2B  2C would be:
(1) 20iˆ  5ˆj  4kˆ (2) 14iˆ  5ˆj  2kˆ (3) 4iˆ  5ˆj  20kˆ (4) 5iˆ  4ˆj  10kˆ
16. An object of m kg with speed of v m/s strikes a wall at an angle  and rebounds at the same speed
and same angle. The magnitude of the change in momentum of the object will be:
(1) 2mvcos  (2) 2mvsin  (3) 0 (4) 2mv
17. Following forces start acting on a particle at rest at the origin of the co-ordinate system
   
simultaneously F1  4iˆ  5jˆ  5kˆ , F2  5iˆ  8jˆ  6kˆ , F3  3iˆ  4jˆ  7kˆ , F4  2iˆ  3jˆ  2kˆ then the
particle will move:
(1) In x–y plane (2) In y–z plane (3) In x–z plane (4) Along x-axis

18. Vector A make equal angles with x, y and z axes. Value of its components (in terms of magnitude of

A ) will be :
(1) A 3 (2) A 2 (3) 3A (4) 3 A
 
19. If A  2iˆ  4ˆj  5kˆ , the direction cosines of the vector A are:
2 4 5 1 2 3 4 4 3 2 5
(1) , and (2) , and (3) , 0and (4) , and
45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45

5
        
20. Given A1  2 , A 2  3 and A1  A2  3 . Find the value of  A1  2A 2    3A1  4A 2 
(1) - 64 (2) - 60 (3) - 62 (4) - 61
21. A particle moves from position 3i  2 j  6k to 14i  13j  9k due to a uniform force of  4iˆ  ˆj  3kˆ  N
ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
If the displacement is in meter, then work done will be:
(1) 100 J (2) 200 J (3) 300 J (4) 250 J
 
22. Two constant forces F1  2iˆ  3jˆ  3kˆ  N  and F2  ˆi  ˆj  2kˆ  N  act on a body and displace it from
 
the position r  iˆ  2jˆ  2kˆ (m) to the position r  7iˆ  10jˆ  5kˆ (m). What is the work done?
1 2
(1) 9 joule (2) 41 joule (3) -3 joule (4) None of these

23. A particle moves in the X-Y plane under the action of a force F such that the value of its linear
  
momentum  P  at any time t is PX = 2 cos (t), PY = 2 sin (t). The angle  between F and P at a

  dp 
given time t will be  use F  
 dt 
(1)   0 (2)   30 (3)   90 (4)   180
   
24. If A  3iˆ  4ˆj and B  7iˆ  24ˆj the vector having the same magnitude as B and parallel to A is:
(1) 5iˆ  20ˆj (2) 15iˆ  10ˆj (3) 20iˆ  15jˆ (4) 15iˆ  20ˆj
   
25. If B  3iˆ  4jˆ and A  ˆi  ˆj , the vector having the same magnitude as that of B and parallel to A is
5 ˆ ˆ 5 ˆ ˆ
(1)
2
 i  j (2)
2
 i  j (3) 5  ˆi  ˆj (4) 5  ˆi  ˆj

   
26. Let a  5iˆ  3jˆ  4kˆ and b  6iˆ  8ˆj . Projection of a on b is:
(1) 1/5 (2) 2/5 (3) 3/5 (4) 4/5
 
27. Which of the following is not true? If A  3iˆ  4ˆj and B  6iˆ  8ˆj where A and B are the magnitudes
 
of A and B ?
  A 1  
(1) A  B  0 (2)  (3) A  B  48 (4) A = 5
B 2
 
28. Given: A  4iˆ  6ˆj and B  2iˆ  3jˆ . Which of the following is correct?
    
(1) A  B  0 (2) A  B  24
  
1
(3) A   (4) A and B are antiparallel
B 2
    
29. The linear velocity of a rotating body is given by v   r , where  is the angular velocity and r is
 ˆ ˆ 
the radius vector. The angular velocity of a body   i  2 j  2kˆ and their radius vector is r  4ˆj  3kˆ ,

v is:
(1) 29 units (2) 31 units (3) 37 (4) 41 units

Multiple Answer Correct:

   
1. If a parallelogram is formed with two sides represented by vectors A and B , then A  B represents
the:
(1) major diagonal when the angle between vectors is acute
(2) minor diagonal when the angle between vectors is obtuse
(3) both of the above
(4) none of the above

6
2. The vector ˆi  xjˆ  3kˆ is rotated through an angle  and doubled in magnitude, then it becomes
4iˆ   4x  2  ˆj  2kˆ . The values of x are
2 1 2
(1)  (2) (3) (4) 2
3 3 3
3. If the resultant of three forces F1  piˆ  3jˆ  kˆ , F2  5iˆ  ˆj  2kˆ and F3  6iˆ  kˆ acting on a particle has
magnitude equal to 5 units, then the value (s) of p is (are)
(1) -6 (2) -4 (3) 2 (4) 4