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Mechanics Berkeley Physics

Charles Kittel, Walter D. Knight, Malvin A. Ruderman, A. Carl Helmholz, Burton J. Moyer

Chapter 2

Vectors - all with Video Answers

Educators


Chapter Questions

11:49

Problem 1

Position cectors. Using the $x$ axis as east, the $y$ axis as north, and the $z$ axis as up, give the vector representing the following points:
(a) $10 \mathrm{mi}$ northeast and $2 \mathrm{mi}$ up
(b) $5 \mathrm{yd}$ southeast and $5 \mathrm{yd}$ down
(c) $1 \mathrm{~cm}$ northwest and $6 \mathrm{~cm}$ up Find the magnitude of each vector and the expression for the unit vector in that direction.

Talha Khalid
Talha Khalid
Numerade Educator
05:18

Problem 2

Vector components. Using the axes of Prob. 1 , find the following:
(a) The components of a position vector from the origin to a point in the horizontal plane directly southeast and of length $5.0 \mathrm{~m}$
(b) The components of a position vector to a point $15 \mathrm{~m}$ from the origin such that the horizontal component is $60^{\circ}$ west from north and the vector makes an angle of $45^{\circ}$ with the vertical

Talha Khalid
Talha Khalid
Numerade Educator
05:20

Problem 3

Addition of cectors. Draw the result of the following vector additions:
(a) Add a vector $2 \mathrm{~cm}$ east to one $3 \mathrm{~cm}$ northwest.
(b) Add a vector $8 \mathrm{~cm}$ east to one $12 \mathrm{~cm}$ northwest.
(c) Compare the results of parts $(a)$ and $(b)$, and frame a theorem about adding a pair of vectors that are multiples of another pair.

Talha Khalid
Talha Khalid
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04:33

Problem 4

Multiplication by a scalar. Let $\mathbf{A}=2.0 \mathrm{~cm}$ at $70^{\circ}$ east of north and $B=3.5 \mathrm{~cm}$ at $130^{\circ}$ east of north. Use either a protractor or polar coordinate graph paper in your solutions.
(a) Draw the vectors described above and two others $2.5$ times as large.
(b) Multiply A by $-2$ and $\mathbf{B}$ by $+3$ and find the vector sum. Ans. $9.2 \mathrm{~cm}$ at $152^{\circ}$.
(c) Place a point $10 \mathrm{~cm}$ due north of the origin. Find multiples of $\mathrm{A}$ and $\mathrm{B}$ whose vector sum is the vector from the origin to this point.
(d) Work out parts $(b)$ and $(c\rangle$ analytically.

Surendra Kumar
Surendra Kumar
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06:34

Problem 5

Scalar and vector products of two vectors. Given two vectors $\mathbf{a}=3 \hat{\mathbf{x}}+4 \hat{y}-5 \hat{\mathbf{z}}$ and $\mathbf{b}=-\hat{\mathbf{x}}+2 \hat{\mathbf{y}}+6 \hat{\mathbf{z}}$, calculate by
vector methods:
(a) The length of each Ans, $a=\sqrt{50} ; b=\sqrt{41}$.
(b) The scalar product a \cdot b Ans. $-25$.
(c) The included angle between them Ans. $123.5^{\circ}$.
(d) The direction cosines for each
(e) The vector sum and difference $a+b$ and $a-b$

Talha Khalid
Talha Khalid
Numerade Educator
07:07

Problem 6

Vector algebra. Given two vectors such that $\mathrm{a}+\mathrm{b}=$ $11 \hat{\mathrm{x}}-\hat{y}+5 \hat{z}$ and $a-b=-5 \hat{\mathbf{x}}+11 \hat{y}+9 \hat{z}$
(a) Find a and b.
(b) Find the angle included between a and (a + b) using vector methods.

Talha Khalid
Talha Khalid
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01:26

Problem 7

Vector addition of velocities. In still water a man can row
a boat $5 \mathrm{mi} / \mathrm{h}$.
(a) If he heads straight across a stream which is flowing
$2 \mathrm{mi} / \mathrm{h}$, what will be the direction of his path and his velocity?
(b) In what direction must he point to travel perpendicular to the flow of the stream and what will be his speed?

Surendra Kumar
Surendra Kumar
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02:13

Problem 8

Composition of velocities. The pilot of an airplane wishes to reach a point $200 \mathrm{mi}$ east of his present position. A wind blows $30 \mathrm{mi} / \mathrm{h}$ from the northwest. Calculate his vector velocity with respect to the moving air mass if his schedule requires him to arrive at his destination in $40 \mathrm{~min}$.

Surendra Kumar
Surendra Kumar
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01:48

Problem 9

Vector operations; relative position tector. Two particles are emitted from a common source and at a particular time have displacements:
$$
\mathbf{r}_{1}=4 \hat{\mathbf{x}}+3 \hat{\mathbf{y}}+8 \hat{\mathbf{z}} \quad \mathbf{r}_{2}=2 \hat{\mathbf{x}}+10 \hat{y}+5 \hat{z}
$$
(a) Sketch the positions of the particles and write the expression for the displacement $\mathbf{r}$ of particle 2 relative to particle 1 .
(b) Use the scalar product to find the magnitude of each vector. $\quad$ Ans. $r_{1}=9.4 ; r_{2}=11.4 ; r=7.9$.
(c) Calculate the angles between all possible pairs of the three vectors.
(d) Calculate the projection of $\mathbf{r}$ on $\mathbf{r}_{1}$. Ans. $-1.2$
(e) Calculate the vector product $\mathbf{r}_{1} \times \mathbf{r}_{2}$.

Surendra Kumar
Surendra Kumar
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03:42

Problem 10

Closest approach of two particles. Two particles 1 and 2 travel along the $x$ and $y$ axes with respective velocities $\mathbf{v}_{1}=2 \hat{\mathbf{x}} \mathrm{cm} / \mathrm{s}$ and $\mathbf{v}_{2}=3 \hat{\mathrm{y}} \mathrm{cm} / \mathrm{s}$. At $t=0$ they are at
$$
x_{1}=-3 \mathrm{~cm} \quad y_{1}=0 \quad x_{2}=0 \quad y_{2}=-3 \mathrm{~cm}
$$
(a) Find the vector $\mathbf{r}_{2}-\mathbf{r}_{1}$ that represents the position of 2 relative to 1 as a function of time.
$$
\text { Ans. } \mathbf{r}=(3-2 t) \hat{\mathbf{x}}+(3 t-3) \hat{y} \mathrm{em}
$$
(b) When and where are these two particles closest?

Surendra Kumar
Surendra Kumar
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02:20

Problem 11

Body diagonals of a cube. What is the angle between two intersecting body diagonals of a cube? (A body diagonal connects two corners and passes through the interior of the cube. A face diagonal connects two corners and runs on one face of the cube.

Surendra Kumar
Surendra Kumar
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01:57

Problem 12

Condition for $\mathrm{a} \perp \mathbf{b}$. Show that a is perpendicular to $\mathbf{b}$ if $|\mathbf{a}+\mathbf{b}|=|\mathbf{a}-\mathbf{b}|$

Arjun Singh
Arjun Singh
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02:30

Problem 13

Parallel and perpendicular vectors. Find $x$ and $y$ such that the vectors $\mathbf{B}=x \hat{\mathbf{x}}+3 \hat{y}$ and $\mathbf{C}=2 \hat{\mathbf{x}}+y \hat{\mathbf{y}}$ are each
perpendicular to $\mathbf{A}=5 \hat{\mathbf{x}}+6 \hat{y}$. Now prove that $\mathbf{B}$ and $\mathbf{C}$ are parallel. Is it true in three dimensions that two vectors perpendicular to a third are necessarily parallel?

Pritesh Ranjan
Pritesh Ranjan
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01:39

Problem 14

Volume of parallelepiped. A parallelepiped has edges described by the vectors $\hat{\mathbf{x}}+2 \hat{\mathbf{y}}, 4 \hat{\mathbf{y}}$, and $\hat{\mathrm{y}}+3 \hat{\mathbf{z}}$ from the
origin. Find the volume.

Talha Khalid
Talha Khalid
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02:38

Problem 15

Equilibrium of forces. Three forces $\mathbf{F}_{1}, \mathbf{F}_{2}$, and $\mathbf{F}_{3}$ act simultaneously on a point particle. The resultant force $\mathbf{F}_{R}$ is simply the vector sum of the forces. The particle is said to be in equilibrium if $\mathbf{F}_{R}=0$.
(a) Show that if $\mathbf{F}_{R}=0$ the vectors representing three forces form a triangle.
(b) If $\mathbf{F}_{R}=0$ as above, is it possible for any one of the vectors to lie outside the plane determined by the other two?
(c) A particle subject to a vertically downward force of 10 newtons (N) and suspended from a cord (tension $15 \mathrm{~N}$ ) making an angle of $0.1$ rad from the vertical cannot be in equilibrium. What third force is required to produce equilibrium?

Surendra Kumar
Surendra Kumar
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02:15

Problem 16

Work done by forces. The constant forces $\mathbf{F}_{1}=\hat{\mathbf{x}}+$ $2 \hat{y}+3 \hat{z}$ (dynes) and $\mathbf{F}_{2}=4 \hat{x}-5 \hat{y}-2 \hat{z}$ (dynes) act together on a particle during a displacement from the point $A(20,15,0)(\mathrm{cm})$ to the point $B(0,0,7)(\mathrm{cm})$
(a) What is the work done (in ergs) on the particle? The work done (Chap. 5 ) is given by $\mathbf{F} \cdot \mathbf{r}$, where $\mathbf{F}$ is the resultant force (here $\mathbf{F}=\mathbf{F}_{1}+\mathbf{F}_{2}$ ) and $\mathbf{r}$ is the displacement.

Talha Khalid
Talha Khalid
Numerade Educator
04:38

Problem 17

Torque of force about a point. The torque or turning moment $\mathbf{N}$ of a force about a given point is given by $\mathrm{r} \times \mathbf{F}$ where $\mathbf{r}$ is the vector from the given point to the point of application of $\mathbf{F} .$ Consider a force $\mathbf{F}=-3 \hat{\mathbf{x}}+\hat{\mathbf{y}}+5 \hat{\mathbf{z}}$ (dynes) acting at the point $7 \hat{\mathbf{x}}+3 \hat{\mathbf{y}}+\hat{\mathbf{z}}(\mathrm{cm}) .$ Remember that $\mathbf{F} \times \mathbf{r}=$
$-r \times \mathbf{F}$
(b) What is the torque about the point $(0,10,0) ?$
(a) What is the torque in $\mathrm{dyn}-\mathrm{cm}$ about the origin? (Just give the result for $\mathbf{N}$ as a linear combination of $\hat{\mathbf{x}}, \hat{\mathrm{y}}$, and $\hat{\mathbf{z}}$.)

Talha Khalid
Talha Khalid
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03:09

Problem 18

Velocity and acceleration: differentiation of vectors. Find the velocity and acceleration of the point described by the following position vectors $(t=$ time in seconds);
(a) $\mathbf{r}=16 t \hat{\mathbf{x}}+25 t^{2} \hat{\mathbf{y}}+33 \hat{\mathbf{z}} \mathrm{cm}$
(b) $\quad \mathbf{r}=10 \sin 15 t \hat{\mathbf{x}}+35 t \hat{\mathbf{y}}+e^{6 i \hat{\mathbf{z}}} \mathrm{cm}$
(For derivatives see the Mathematical Notes at the end of this chapter.)

Talha Khalid
Talha Khalid
Numerade Educator
01:36

Problem 19

Random flights. A particle follows in space a path that consists of $N$ equal steps, each of length $s .$ The direction in space of each step is entirely random, with no relation or correlation between any two steps. The total displacement is
$$
\mathbf{S}=\sum_{i=1}^{N} \mathbf{s}_{i}
$$
Show that the mean square displacement between initial and final positions is $\left\langle\mathrm{S}^{2}\right\rangle=\mathrm{Ns}^{2}$, where \langle\rangle denotes mean value. [Hint: The assumption that the direction of every step is independent of the direction of every other step means that $\left\langle s_{i} \cdot \mathrm{s}_{j}\right\rangle=0$ for all $i$ and $i$, except $\left.i=j .\right]$

Surendra Kumar
Surendra Kumar
Numerade Educator
02:05

Problem 20

Incariance, Consider a vector $\mathbf{A}$ in the cartesian coordinate system with unit vectors $\hat{x}, \hat{y}$, and $\hat{z}$. This system is now rotated through an angle $\theta$ about the $\hat{\mathbf{z}}$ axis.
(a) Express the new unit vectors $\hat{\mathbf{x}}^{\prime}$ and $\hat{y}^{\prime}$ in terms of $\hat{\mathbf{x}}, \hat{y}$ and $\theta ; \hat{\mathbf{z}}^{\prime}=\hat{\mathbf{z}}$
(b) Express $\mathbf{A}$ in terms of $A_{x^{\prime}}^{\prime}, A_{y^{\prime}}^{\prime}, A_{z^{\prime}}^{\prime}$ and $\hat{x}, \hat{y}^{\prime}, \hat{z} ;$ transform
to $\hat{\mathbf{x}}, \hat{\mathbf{y}}$, and $\hat{\mathbf{z}}$ and so find the relations between $A_{x^{\prime}}^{\prime}, A_{\dot{y}^{\prime}}$
$A_{z^{\prime}}^{\prime}$ and $A_{x^{\prime}} A_{y^{\prime}} A_{x^{2}}$
(c) Show that $A_{x}{ }^{2}+A_{y}{ }^{2}+A_{z}{ }^{2}=A_{x^{\prime}}^{\prime 2}+A_{v^{\prime}}^{\prime 2}+A_{z^{\prime}}^{\prime 2}$.
(This problem with an arbitrary rotation in three dimensions is complicated. One method is to use nine direction cosines among which there are six relations, three from the orthogonality of $\hat{x}^{\prime}, \hat{y}^{\prime}, \hat{z}^{\prime}$ and three from the fact that the sum of the squares of direction cosines is 1.)

Surendra Kumar
Surendra Kumar
Numerade Educator