PHYS 105 Fall 2023

Assignment#1 Model Answer

University of Science and Technology at Zewail City

1. Consider the two vectors A ⃗ = î + ĵ + k̂ and B

⃗ = î − ĵ + k̂.
⃗
a) Find the angle between A and B. ⃗
b) Find a unit vector perpendicular to both A ⃗ and B.
⃗ Is the vector unique?
⃗
c) Find a unit vector perpendicular to A in the same plane as A ⃗ and B.
⃗
Is the vector unique?
Solution
a)
√ √
⃗·B
A ⃗ = AB cos θ ⇒ 1 − 1 + 1 = 3 3 cos θ
1
cos θ = ⇒ θ ∈ {1.23, 5.05}
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b) The cross product gives a vector perpendicular to the plane;

⃗
C ⃗×B
= A ⃗ = 2î − 2k̂

to make it a unit vector, one can normalize

1 ⃗ 1
Ĉ = C = √ (î − k̂)
C 2

the vector is not unique as B⃗ ×A⃗ is also perpendicular to both vectors.

c) For the vector to be in the same plane, it must be a linear combination
⃗ and B
of A ⃗ and to be perpendicular to A ⃗ then the dot product must be
zero;

⃗
D ⃗ + d2 B
= d1 A ⃗
⃗·D
A ⃗ = ⃗ ·A
0 ⇒ d1 A2 + d2 B ⃗ = 0 ⇒ d2 = −3d1
⃗
D ⃗ ⃗
= d1 (A − 3B) = d1 (−2î + 4ĵ − 2k̂)

Finally, for the vector to be a unit vector, we divide it by its magnitude;

⃗ = √1 (−î + 2ĵ − k̂)

D
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it is not unique either as it is negative vector would satisfy the same
criteria.

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 ⃗ B,
2. Consider the parallelepiped with sides along the vectors A, ⃗ C.
⃗

(1,0,2)

C
(1,1,0)
B

A
(0,0,0) (4,0,0)

a) Compute A ⃗ × B,
⃗ A⃗ × C,
⃗ B
⃗ × C.
⃗ What does these quantities represent?
⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗
b) Compute A · (B × C), C · (A ⃗ × B),
⃗ B ⃗ · (C
⃗ × A).
⃗ What does these
quantities represent?
Solution
a)

⃗×B
A ⃗ = 4k̂
⃗×C
A ⃗ = −8ĵ
⃗ ×C
B ⃗ = 2î − 2ĵ − k̂
⃗ ×B
A ⃗ has a magnitude of the area of the face spanned by the two vectors
and pointing inward.
⃗ ×C
A ⃗ has a magnitude of the area of the face spanned by the two vectors
and pointing outward.
⃗ ×C
B ⃗ has a magnitude of the area of the face spanned by the two vectors
and pointing inward.
b)

⃗ · (B
A ⃗ × C)
⃗ = 8
⃗ · (A
C ⃗ × B)
⃗ = 8
⃗ · (C
B ⃗ × A)
⃗ = 8

all quantities give the same result as the triple scaler product geometrically
represents the volume of the parallelepiped.

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3. Consider the two vectors
⃗ = A(cos θ1 î + sin θ1 ĵ)
A
⃗ = cos θ2 î + sin θ2 ĵ
B

a) Can any of these be a unit vector?

b) Find the dot product and cross product between A ⃗ and B.
⃗
c) From the interpretation of the dot and cross product, prove the addition
and subtraction formulae;

sin(θ1 ± θ2 ) = sin θ1 cos θ2 ± cos θ1 sin θ2

cos(θ1 ± θ2 ) = cos θ1 cos θ2 ∓ sin θ1 sin θ2

Solution
⃗·A
a) A ⃗ = A2 cos2 θ1 + A2 sin2 θ1 = A2 so A.⃗ A ⃗ can be a unit vector if it
has a unit magnitude i.e. A2 = 1.
⃗ ·B
B ⃗ = cos2 θ2 + sin2 θ2 so B
⃗ is a unit vector.
b)

⃗·B
A ⃗ = A(cos θ1 cos θ2 + sin θ1 sin θ2 )
⃗×B
A ⃗ = A(cos θ1 sin θ2 − sin θ1 cos θ2 )k̂

⃗ and B
c) A ⃗ make angles θ1 and θ2 respectively with the positive x-axis
hence the angle between them is | θ1 − θ2 |. From the definition of the dot
product and the result above;
⃗·B
A ⃗ = AB cos(θ1 − θ2 )
⇒ cos(θ1 − θ2 ) = cos θ1 cos θ2 + sin θ1 sin θ2

the addition formula can be attained by θ2 → −θ2 (a vector in the fourth

quadrant).
From the definition of the dot product and the result above;
⃗×B
A ⃗ = AB sin(θ2 − θ1 )k̂
⇒ sin(θ1 − θ2 ) = cos θ1 sin θ2 − sin θ1 cos θ2

the addition formula can be attained by θ2 → −θ2 .

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4. Draw four arbitrary points and assign a scalar {m1 , m2 , m3 , m4 } of your
choice to each of them.
a) Fix the origin at one of these points and draw vectors ⃗ri pointing at
the other points. Compute

⃗ = 1
R (m1⃗r1 + m2⃗r2 + m3⃗r3 + m4⃗r4 )
m1 + m2 + m3 + m4

⃗ Is the quantity
b) Now fix the origin at a different point and compute R.
⃗
R origin-dependent?
Solution
The weighted sum of position vectors will be a position vector pointing to
the same point in space so it will depend on the origin.
5. Look at your clock and denote A = hours, θ = minutes, ϕ = seconds.
Consider a vector A ⃗ with magnitude A inclined on the horizontal by angle
⃗
θ and vector B with magnitude 2A and angle ϕ with the horizontal.
a) Graphically represent both vectors to scale and find the magnitude and
direction of the resultant vector A⃗ + B.
⃗
b) Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector A ⃗+B ⃗ ana-
lytically. (using components method).
c) Consider a vector C ⃗ in the plane of A⃗ and B
⃗ with a magnitude 10 and
perpendicular to A.⃗ Express C ⃗ in terms of A
⃗ and B.
⃗
d) Consider a vector D ⃗ = aA ⃗ + bB.
⃗ Find a and b such that D
⃗ +C ⃗ = A.
⃗
Solution
a)

⃗
A = 12(cos(30◦ )î + sin(30◦ )î)
⃗
B = 24(cos(60◦ )î + sin(60◦ )î)

By graphing the vectors to scale

a+b
a

b
b

The resultant vector has magnitude ≈ 28 and an angle of ≈ 54◦ .

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b)

⃗+B
A ⃗ = (12 cos(30◦ ) + 24 cos(60◦ ))î + (12 sin(30◦ ) + 24 sin(60◦ ))ĵ
≈ 22.4î + 16.4ĵ = 27.8(cos(53.8◦ )î + sin(53.8◦ )ĵ)

c)

⃗
C ⃗ + c2 B
= c1 A ⃗
1 √
⃗·C
A ⃗ = ⃗ = c1 (2 3î − 6ĵ)
0 ⇒ c2 = − √ c1 ⇒ C
3
√
5 3
C = 10 ⇒ c1 =
√ 6
⃗ 3⃗ 5⃗
C = 5 A− B
6 6
d)

⃗ +C
D ⃗ = A
⃗
√
(aA ⃗ + (5 3 A
⃗ + bB) ⃗ − 5 B)
⃗ ⃗
= A
√ 6 6
3 ⃗ 5 ⃗ ⃗
(a + 5 )A + (b − )B = A
6 6 √
3 5
⇒a = 1−5 , b=
6 6

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6. Consider the parallelogram ABCD. With AE bisecting BC. The bisector
intersect the diagonal BD at points G.

D C

A B

a) Find the ratio BG : GD.

b) Find the ratio AG : GE.
⃗ and BC.]
[Hint: write the sides of ABG as vectors in terms of AB ⃗
Solution
⃗ ≡A
denote AB ⃗ and BC
⃗ ≡B
⃗

⃗
BG ⃗ = η1 (B
= η1 BD ⃗ − A)
⃗
⃗ = η2 EA
GA ⃗ = −η2 (A⃗ + 1 B)
⃗
2
equation of the triangle ABG;
⃗ + BG
AB ⃗ + GA ⃗ = 0
⃗ + η1 (B
⃗ − A)
⃗ − η2 (A 1
⃗ + B) ⃗
A = 0
2
⃗ + (η1 − 1 η2 )B
(1 − η1 − η2 )A ⃗ = 0
2
⃗ and B
for the equation to be satisfied, the coefficients of A ⃗ must be zero.
The two equations can be solved simultaneously to yield η1 = 31 and
η2 = 23 .
a) BG : GD = 1/3BD : 2/3BD = 1 : 2.
b) AG : GE = 2/3EA : 1/3EA = 2 : 1.