IIT Palakkad

Department of Physics
Palakakd 678557
Exercises with vectors
Phys1010 Mechanics

1. Let ~u = 3î + 4ĵ + 5k̂ and ~v = î + ĵ + k̂. Determine ~u|| and ~u⊥ that are parts of ~u
respectively parallel and perpendicular to ~v .

2. Let ~a = î + 2ĵ and ~b = −î + 2ĵ. Construct three mutually perpendicular unit vectors
ˆl, m̂ and n̂ such that ˆl is parallel to ~a and m̂ is to ~b.

3. Using properties of vectors, prove that

cos(θ + φ) = cos(θ) cos(φ) − sin(θ) sin(φ)

and
sin(θ + φ) = sin(θ) cos(φ) + cos(θ) sin(φ).

4. The vertices of a polyhedron ABCD with 4 vertices are given by aî + hk̂, −aî + hk̂,
aĵ − hk̂ and −aĵ − hk̂, where a and h are real constants. What should be the relation
between a and h so that ABCD is a regular tetrahedron?

5. Considering an n-sided regular polygon prove that

n−1   n−1  
X 2πj X 2πj
cos = 0, and sin = 0.
j=0
n j=0
n

6. Four of the vertices of a polyhedron ABCDEF are at î + ĵ, −î + ĵ, −î − ĵ and î − ĵ.
Where should the other two vertices be so that the resultant polyhedron is a regular
octahedron?

7. Using vector algebra prove that the medians of any triangle meet at a point which is
at two-third the distance along each median starting from each vertex of the triangle.

8. Let ~u and ~v be two vectors in an n-dimensional vector space, and let s be a real
parameter. For which value of the real parameter s does the vector w(s)
~ = ~u + s~v
have minimum magnitude? What is the geometrical significance of the optimal w
~ thus
obtained?

9. Show that any vector in a two dimensional space can be expressed as a linear combi-
nation of two noncollinear vectors ~a and ~b in that space. To be specific, show that the
vector ~r = xî + y ĵ can be expressed as α~a + β~b for
 a suitable choice of the components
√ 
α and β. Determine α and β if ~a = î and ~b = 2 î + 3ĵ
1

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10. What curve does the trajectory
~ + Bt
~r(t) = A ~

of a particle trace in the 3-dimensional configuration space? What is the significance

~ and B?
of A ~

11. What does the equation

|~r − ~a| = b,
where ~a is a constant vector and b is a positive scalar represent in (i) two dimensions,
and (ii) in three dimensions?

12. What does the equation

|~r + 2~c| + |~r| = 2a,
where ~c is a constant vector and a is a positive scalar represent in two dimensions if
(i) |~c| < a, (ii) |~c| = a and (iii) |~c| > a? What is the corresponding result in three
dimensions?

13. Let the position vector at time t of a particle be given by

a  
~r(t) = [2cos(ωt) − sin(ωt)] î + [2cos(ωt) + 2sin(ωt)] ĵ + [−cos(ωt) + 2sin(ωt)] k̂
3

Determine the geometry of the trajectory. Also determine the tangent T̂ (t), normal
N̂ (t) and binormal B̂(t) where

d~r(t) d~r(t)
T̂ (t) = /
dt dt
dT̂ (t) dT̂ (t)
N̂ (t) = /
dt dt
B̂(t) = T̂ (t) × N̂ (t).

14. Let a particle of mass m and charge q be subjected to a constant electric field E ~ =
E1 î + E2 ĵ and a constant magnetic field B = B3 k̂. Show that the velocity of the
particle at time t is given by
 h i h i 
E2 E2 E1
~v (t) = B 3
+ v1 (0) − B3
cos(ωt) + v 2 (0) + B3
sin(ωt) î +
 h i   
E1 E2 E1
−B3
− v1 (0) − B 3
sin(ωt) + v2 (0) + B 3
cos(ωt) ĵ + v3 (0)k̂,

where, ω = qB3 /m and the v1 (0)î + v2 (0)ĵ + v3 (0)k̂ is the initial velocity. What is the
shape of the curve that is traced by the particles in the space of velocity? For which
choice of initial velocity does the velocity of the particle continues to remain the same?

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15. Let a particle of mass m and charge q be subjected to a constant electric field E ~ and
a constant magnetic field B. ~ If ~v (t) is the velocity of the particle at time t, and ~v 0 (t)
~ × E/|
= ~v (t) + B ~ B|~ 2 , find the condition to be satisfied by the electric and magnetic
fields so that the equation
d~v 0 (t) ~
m = q~v 0 (t) × B.
dt
holds good.

16. Show that when a vector ~r is rotated by an angle θ with respect to an axis n̂

~r → ~r0 = cos(θ)~r + (1 − cos(θ)) (~r.n̂) n̂ + sin(θ) (n̂ × ~r)

17. Consider a coordinate transformation in two dimensions in which the new coordinates
x0 and y 0 are related to the old ones x and y through the relation
 0    
x α β x
0 =
y γ δ y

with αδ − βγ = 1. Assuming that the position vector ~r = x~i + y~j = x0~i0 + y 0~j 0 , show
that
~i ~i
 0    
δ −γ
~j 0 = ~j
−β α

18. Let the Levi-Civita symbol be defined as

 1, if ijk is a cyclic permutation of 1, 2, 3



ijk = −1, if ijk is an anti-cyclic permutation of 1, 2, 3


0, otherwise
and assume Einstein’s convention of summation over repeated indices. Also, the symbol
δij represents the Kronecker delta

1, if i = j, and
δij =
0, if i 6= j.

Prove that

(a).
ijk klm = δil δjm − δim δjl
(b).
ijk jkl = 2δil
(c).
ijk ijk = 6
(d).
ijk aj ak = 0

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 (e). Let M be the 3 × 3 matrix
 
a1 a2 a3
M =  b1 b2 b3 
c1 c2 c3
 
Prove that Det(M ) = ijk ai bj ck = ~a. ~b × ~c

19. Let ~u and ~v be two non-collinear vectors in d-dimensions, d = 2 or 3. Show that the
magnitude area A ~ = ~u × ~v of the parallelogram formed by these two vectors is given
by
~ 2 = ~u.~u ~u.~v
|A|
~u.~v ~v .~v

20. Let ~a, ~band ~c be three non-coplanar vectors in 3-dimensions. Show that the volume
V = ~a. ~b × ~c of the parallelopiped formed by these three vectors is given by

~a.~a ~a.~b ~a.~c

V = ~a.~b
2 ~b.~b ~b.~c
~a.~c ~b.~c ~c.~c