CHAPTER 2

VECTORS AND EQUILIBRIUM

MCQs
1. A vector which has zero magnitude is called:
(a) Null vector (b) Unit vector (c) Resultant vector (d) Position vector
2. When a vector A is multiplied by a negative number then its direction:
(a) Remains same (b) Changed by 180 (c) Does not change (d) None of these
3. What is the resultant of 3N and 4N forces acting at right angle to each other:
(a) 90 N (b) 5 N (c) 7 N (d) 1 N
4. Two forces of 10N and 7N respectively are acting on an object. The minimum value of their resultant
is:
(a) 0N (b) 10N (c) 7N (d) 3N
5. If two vectors of magnitude F1 and F2 act on a body at an angle  , the magnitude of their resultant is:
(a) F12  F22 (b) F12  F22  F 2F1F2
(c) F12  F22  2F1F2 cos (d) F12  F22  F 2 F1F2 cos 
6. If a vector A makes an angle θ with x axis, the magnitude of its x component is:
(a) Ay  A sin  (b) Ax  A cos (c) Both a and b (d) None of these
7. When line of action of applied force passes through the pivot point then torque will be:
(a) Maximum (b) Constant (c) Negative (d) Zero
8. Two vectors to be combined have magnitudes 60 N and 35 N. Pick the possible answer:
(a) 100N (b) 70N (c) 20N (d) Zero
9. Which of the following physical quantities are represented by axial vector?
(a) Displacement (b) Force (c) Velocity (d) Torque
10. The minimum number of vectors of equal magnitude required to produce a zero resultant are:
(a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) More than 4
ˆ ˆ ˆ
11. If a unit vector is represented by 0.5i  0.8 j  ck , , then the value of ‘c’ is:
(a) I (b) 0.11 (c) 0.01 (d) 0.39
12. If vectors A and B are perpendicular, then magnitude of A  B is equal to:
(a) Zero (b) AB (c) AB𝑛̂ (d) AB sin 
13. Two vectors 4iˆ  7 ˆj and 2iˆ  3 ˆj are added. The magnitude of the sum of these vector is:
(a) 36 (b) 100 (c) 136 (d) 136
14. Addition of two vectors gives maximum resultant, when the vectors are:
(a) Parallel (b) Anti parallel (c) Perpendicular (d) All of these
ˆ ˆ
15. The component of 9i  17 j along z axis is:
(a) Zero (b) 18 (c) 26 (d) 11
16. The resultant of two vectors of magnitude 2 and 3 is 5. The angle between them is:
(a) 90 (b) 180 (c) 0 (d) None of these
17. Current is a quantity:
(a) Scalar (b) Vector (c) Both a and b (d) None of these
18. Unit vector along z axis:
(a) iˆ (b) ĵ (c) Zero (d) k̂
19. Which of the following is a vector quantity?
(a) Energy (b) Time (c) Velocity (d) Pressure
20. What is the resultant force in diagram shown?

(a) Zero (b) 6N toleft (c) 6N toright (d) 11N to right

21. If two unit vectors are inclined at angle of 90 , the magnitude of their resultant will be:
(a) 2 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) Zero
22. A man walk 40 m north, the 30 m East and then 40 m South. What is his displacement from the starting
point?
(a) 30 m East (b) 150m West (c) 40 m West (d) 150m East
23. Given A  3iˆ  2 ˆj  kˆ and B  6i  4 j  2k the two vector A and B :
(a) Are parallel (b) Are perpendicular
(c) Make an angle 30 to each other (d) Make an angle 60o to each other
24. The angle between z axis and the vector iˆ  ˆj  2kˆ is:
(a) 30 (b) 45 (c) 60 (d) 90
25. Given A  2iˆ  3 ˆj and B  5iˆ  6 ˆj . The magnitude of A  B is:
(a) 4 units (b) 10 units (c)
58 units (d) 61 units
26. A is directed vertically upward and B is directed along the North. What is direction of B  A ?
(a) East (b) West (c) North East (d) North West
27. ( A.B)  | A  B |  :
2 2

(a) Zero (b) A2 B 2 (c) AB (d) AB

28. Addition of two forces is maximum, when angle between them is:
(a) 45 (b) 60 (c) 0 (d) 180
29. A force of 10 N is acting along z axis, its component along x axis and y axis is:
(a) 5N ,8N (b) 3N , 4 N (c) 5N each (d) Zero
30. If A  B points along positive z axis then vector A and B will lie is:
(a) zx plane (b) xy plane (c) yz plane (d) None of these
31. Parallel vectors of same magnitudes:
(a) Are equal
(b) Are unequal
(c) When added, give the sum equal to zero
(d) When multiplied, give the answer equal to zero
32. Displacement AB between points A(2,3, 4) and B(5,6,7) is given by:
(a) 7iˆ  9 ˆj  11kˆ (b) 7iˆ  9 ˆj  11kˆ (c) 3iˆ  3 ˆj  3kˆ (d) 7iˆ  3 ˆj  3kˆ
33. If A  B  B  A , then the angle between A and B is:
  
(a)  (b) (c) (d)
4 3 4
34. What is the angle between iˆ  ˆj and iˆ ?
  
(a) (b) (c) (d) None of these
6 4 3
35. If A  B  0 and B  C  0 , then the angle between A and C :
  
(a)  (b) (c) (d)
4 2 4
36. The magnitude of the resultant of 3iˆ and 4iˆ is:
(a) 1 (b) 5 (c) 7 (d) 25
37. The projection of vector A on vector B is given by:
A.B A.B A.B A.B
(a) (b) (c) (d)
 AB 
2
A.B A B
38. If A + B  C and | A || B || C | and then what should be the angle between A and B ?
 2
(a) 0 (b) (c) (d) 
3 3
39. Two adjacent sides of a rectangle are represented by vectors A and B . The area of rectangle:
(a) 0 (b) AB (c) AB cos (d) AB sin 
40. Two forces, one of 20N and the other 10N, act upon a body. The directions of the forces are unknown.
The resultant force on the body is;
(a) Not less than 10N and not more than 30N (b) More than 25N always
(c) More than 20N always (d) Less than 10N always
41. Two forces, each numerically equal to 3.5N, are acting as shown in the figure shown below. What will be
the resultant of these forces?

(a) 7N (b) 3.5N (c) 12N (d) 10N

42. In 2D maximum number of components of a vector are
(a) 3 (b) 2 (c) 4 (d) Infinite
43. In 2D and 3D maximum number of rectangular components of a vector are ________ respectively.
(a) 2, 3 (b) 3, 2 (c) ∝, ∝ (d) 0, 0
44. The scalar product of two 2, 4 is 4. Angle between them is:
  
(a) 0 (b) (c) (d)
4 6 3
45. Area of parallelogram is equal to magnitude of:
(a) Dot product (b) Cross product (c) Scalar product (d) None of these
46. If L  r  P then r.L is
(a) rL cos  (b) Zero (c) rL (d) rL sin 
47. What is not true of two forces that give rise to a couple?
(a) They ac in opposite directions (b) They both act at the same point
(c) They both act on the same body (d) They both have same magnitude
48. The torque on a body will be half of maximum value if θ =
(a) 0o (b) 30o (c) 45o (d) 60o
49. Vectors cannot be:
(a) Added (b) Subtracted (c) Divided (d) Multiplied
50. If A x  A y then A makes 45 with positive x-axis . If A y  2A x then A makes on angle with x-axis :
o

(a) 15o (b) 45o (c) 60o (d) 90o

51. Angle between A  B and B  A is:
(a) 0o (b) 30o (c) 90o (d) 180o

52. Angle between A  B and  B  A is: 
(a) 0o (b) 30o (c) 45o (d) 180o
 
53. A  B . A  B 
(a) 0 (b) 1 (c) A2B2 (d) None of these
54. If A.B  0 and A  C  0 . Angle between B and C is:
(a) 70o (b) 30o (c) 60o (d) 90o
SHORT QUESTIONS
1. Show that vector addition is commutative.
2. Define null vector and equal vectors.
3. Shat that iˆ.iˆ  1
4. Show that vector product is non-commutative.
5. Show that iˆ  ˆj  kˆ
6. Show that magnitude of A  B is equal to area of parallelogram.
7. Define torque.
8. Define equilibrium of forces.
9. Explain first and second condition of equilibrium.
10. The vector sum of the three vectors gives a zero resultant. What can be the orientation of the
vectors?
11. If one of the rectangular components of a vector is not zero, can its magnitude be zero. Explain.
12. Can a vector have component greater than vector’s magnitude?
13. Can a magnitude of a vector have negative value?
14. Under what circumstances would a vector have components that are equal in magnitude?
15. Is it possible to add a vector quantity to a scalar quantity? Explain.
16. How would the two vectors of the same magnitude have to be oriented, if they were to be combined
to give a resultant of equal to a vector of the same magnitude?
17. If all the components of the vector A1 and A 2 were reserved, how would this alter A1  A 2 ?
18. Name three different conditions that could make A1  A 2  0 .
19. Can a body rotate about its centre of gravity under the action of its weight?
20. Show that subtraction of vectors is non-commutative.
21. Write down conditions for a quantity to be vector.
22. Determine a vector from its rectangular components.
23. If A  2iˆ  ˆj what is its orientation.
24. If Ax  2 Ay then A makes angle with positive x-axis.

25. Calculate ˆj  iˆ  kˆ
26. If A  B  C, A  3, B  3, C  3 What is angle between A and B .
27. Calculate area of a triangle formed by adjacent sides with A  3iˆ  2 ˆj  4kˆ, B  iˆ  2 ˆj  kˆ .
28. If A  2iˆ  3 ˆj  4kˆ perpendicular to B  3iˆ  Mjˆ  2kˆ . Calculate value of M.
29. Define R.H. rule.
30. In the below figure the value of F, so that the rod will be in equilibrium, is:

31. A ruler of length 0.30 m is pivoted at its centre. Equal and opposite forces of
magnitude 2.0 N are applied to the ends of the ruler, creating a couple as shown.

What is the magnitude of the torque of the couple on the ruler when it is in the
position shown?

32. The diagram shows a meter ruler pivoted at 20 cm but kept in equilibrium by suspended mass of 240
g. what is the mass of ruler?
33. A one meter uniform board hangs in static equilibrium from a rope with tension T. A weight hangs
from the left end of the board, what is the mass of the board.

34. Two vectors have unequal magnitudes. Can their sum be zero? Explain.
LONG QUESTIONS
1. Find resultant of two vectors by addition of rectangular components.
2. Define and explain scalar product of two vectors. Also give its three characteristics.
3. Define and explain vector product of two vectors. Also give its three characteristics.
4. Define torque. Calculate torque due to a force acting on a rigid body.
PROBLEMS
1. What is the unit vector in the direction of the vector A  4iˆ  3 ˆj ?
2. Two particles are located r1  3iˆ  7 ˆj and r 2  2iˆ  3 ˆj respectively. Find both the magnitude of the
 
vector r2  r1 and its orientation with respect to the x–axis.
3. If vector B is added to vector A, the result is 6iˆ  ˆj . If B is subtracted from A, the result is
4iˆ  7 ˆj . What is the magnitude of vector A ?
4. Give that A  2iˆ  3 ˆj and B  3iˆ  4 ˆj, find the magnitude and direction of C  A  B.
5. Find the angel between the two vectors, A  5iˆ  ˆj and B  2iˆ  4 ˆj .
6. Given that A  iˆ  2 ˆj  3kˆ and B  3iˆ  4kˆ, find the projection of A on B .
7. The torque or turning effect of force about a given point is given by r  F where r is the vector from
the given point to the point of application of F . Consider a force F  3iˆ  ˆj  5kˆ (newton) acting on
the point 7iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ(m) . What is the torque in N m about the origin?
8. The magnitude of dot and cross products of two vectors are 6 3 and 6 respectively. Find the angle
between them.
9. A load of 10.0 N is suspended from a clothes line. This distorts the line so that makes an angle of 15o
with the horizontal at each end. Find the tension in the clothes line.
10. Find angle between two forces of equal magnitudes when magnitude of their resultant is also equal
to the magnitude of either of these forces.