Solutions for Take Home Quiz No.

1
Roland Cristopher F. Caballar, Ph. D.
Instructor, General Physics 1

1.33. We are given the following vectors, with their respective magnitudes and directions:
⃗A :|⃗A|=2.80 cm ,θ=60.0 ° above the x-axis in the first quadrant.
⃗ |⃗ |
B : B =1 . 9 0 cm, θ=60.0 ° below the x-axis in the f ourth quadrant.
Those vectors are shown in the following figure from Young and Freedman (15 th ed):

Using the method of components, we want to evaluate the following vector sums and/or
differences: a . ⃗
A+ ⃗
B,b.⃗
A −⃗B,c.⃗ B −⃗A . For all three vector sums and/or differences, we are to
verify our answers qualitatively with a vector diagram illustrating all three quantities.

To solve the problem, we first compute for the components of vectors ⃗ B. For vector ⃗
A and ⃗ A,
we note that it lies in Quadrant I, as shown in the figure. Hence, from the figure, the x and y
components of ⃗ A are pointing in the +x and +y directions, respectively, and we can write ⃗A in
the form ⃗A=A x i^ + A y ^j .

Using the definitions of the x and y components of a vector, the magnitudes of the x and y
components of ⃗ A are as follows:

A x =|⃗
A|cos θ=( 2.80 cm ) cos 60.0 °=( 2.80 cm ) ( 0.500 )=1.40 cm
A y =|⃗
A|sin θ=( 2.80 cm ) sin 60.0 °=( 2.80 cm ) ( 0.866 )=2.43 cm

Hence, in component form, ⃗

A=( 1.40 cm ) i^ +(2.43 cm) ^j
For the vector ⃗B, on the other hand, we note that it lies in Quadrant IV. From the figure, this
implies that the x – component of ⃗ B is pointing in the +x direction, while the y – component of
⃗
B is pointing in the -y direction. We can then write ⃗B in the form ⃗B=B x i^ −B y ^j .

Again, from the definitions of the x and y component of a vector, the magnitudes of the x and y
components of ⃗B are as follows:

Bx =|⃗B| cos θ= (1.90 cm ) cos 60.0 °=( 1.90 cm ) ( 0.500 )=0.950 cm

B y =|⃗
B|sin θ=( 1.90 cm ) sin 60.0 °=( 1.90 cm ) ( 0.866 )=1.65 cm

Hence, ⃗
B=( 0.950 cm ) i^ −(1.65 cm) ^j.

Having written down vectors ⃗

A and ⃗
B in component form, we now proceed to add and subtract
them, as follows:

a.
⃗
A+ ⃗ ^ ( 1.65 cm ) ^j ) =( ( 1.40 cm ) i^ + ( 0.950 cm ) i^ ) + ( ( 2.43 cm ) ^j + (−( 1.65 cm )
B= ( ( 1.40 cm ) i^ + ( 2.43 cm ) ^j ) + ( ( 0.950 cm ) i−
Magnitude:
|⃗A + ⃗B|=√(2.35 cm)2+(0 . 780 cm)2=√ 5.52 cm 2+0.608 cm 2= √6.13 cm2=2.48 cm
Direction: θ=tan (
−1 0.780 cm
2.35 cm ) =tan −1 ( 0.332 ) =18.4 ° which is measured with respect to

the +x – axis.
b.
⃗
A−⃗B =⃗ A+(−⃗ B )=( ( 1.40 cm ) i^ + ( 2.43 cm ) ^j ) +(− ( ( 0.950 cm ) i^ −( 1.65 cm ) ^j ) )=( (1.40 cm ) i^ + (−0.950 cm ) i^ ) + ( ( 2.43 c
Magnitude:
|⃗A + ⃗B|=√(0.450 cm)2+(4.08 cm)2=√ 0.203 cm2+ 16.6 cm2 =√16.8 cm 2=4.10 cm
Direction: θ=tan (
−1 4.08 cm
0.450 cm ) =tan −1 ( 9.07 )=83 . 7 ° which is measured with respect to

the +x – axis.
c.
⃗
B− ⃗
A =⃗ B + (−⃗ A ) =(− ⃗ A)+ ⃗
B =−( ( 1.40 cm ) i+ ^ ( 2.43 cm ) ^j ) + ( ( 0.950 cm ) i^ −( 1.65 cm ) ^j )=( −( 1.40 cm ) i^ + ( 0.950 cm ) i^ ) +
Since ⃗ B− ⃗A =−( ⃗ A−⃗ B ), |⃗
B− ⃗ A|=|⃗ A−⃗ B|=4.10 cm and θ=83.7 ° which is measured with
respect to the -x – axis.

The following diagram qualitatively confirms our quantitative results:

In particular, what the diagram says is that, indeed, ⃗
A+ ⃗
B is in quadrant I, with an x –
component greater than vector ⃗ A ’s and a y – component lesser than vector ⃗ A ’s. On the other
⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗
hand, the diagram shows that, indeed, A−B and B− A are in quadrants I and III, respectively,
and are the negative of each other.

1.36. We are given two vectors, ⃗

A=4.00 i^ + 7.00 ^j and ⃗
B=5.00 i^ −2.00 ^j. We are tasked to find
the following:

a. The magnitude of vectors ⃗

A and ⃗B.
b. ⃗ ⃗
The vector difference A−B , written in terms of unit vectors.
c. The magnitude and direction of the vector difference ⃗A−⃗ B
d. A vector diagram showing the vectors ⃗A, ⃗B and ⃗
A−⃗ B.

a. From the definition of the magnitude of a vector,

|⃗A|=√ A 2x + A 2y =√ 4.002 +7.002 =√16.0+ 49.0= √6 5.0=8 .0 6

|⃗B|=√ B2x + B2y =√ 5.002+(−2.00)2=√ 25.0+ 4.00=√ 29.0=5.39

b. For the vector difference,

⃗
A−⃗ B =⃗ B ) =( 4.00 i^ +7.00 ^j ) + ( −( 5.00 i−2.00
A+ (− ⃗ ^ ^j ) ) =( 4.00 i^ +7.00 ^j ) + (−5 .00 i^ + 2.00 ^j ) =( 4.00 i^ −5.00 i^ ) + (

c. So far, we have ⃗ A−⃗B =(−1.00 ) i^ + 9.00 ^j , with x and y components ( ⃗

A −⃗
B )x =−1.00 and
(⃗
A −⃗B ) y =9 .00 respectively. As we can then see, the vector difference ⃗ A−⃗ B will be
located in quadrant II, and its direction will be measured with respect to the -x – axis.
Let us now compute for its magnitude and direction:

|⃗A −⃗B|= √( ⃗A −⃗B )x +( ⃗A −⃗B ) y = √(−1.00)2 +(9.00)2=√ 1.00+81.0=√ 82.0=9.06

2 2
 θ=tan −1 ( )
9.00
1.00
=tan−1 ( 9.00 )=83.7° , measured with respect to the -x – axis.

d. The magnitude and direction of the vector difference ⃗

A−⃗
B is qualitatively verified by
the diagram below:

1.40. Given the same vectors ⃗A=4.00 i^ + 7.00 ^j and ⃗

B=5.00 i^ −2.00 ^j from the previous exercise,
we are asked to find the scalar product of these two vectors, as well as the angle between
them.

a. Recall that from the definition of the scalar or dot product, ⃗ A∙⃗
B =A x B x + A y B y .
Thus, the scalar product of ⃗ A=4.00 i^ + 7.00 ^j and ⃗ B=5.00 i^ −2.00 ^j is
⃗ ⃗
A ∙ B =A x B x + A y B y =( 4.00 )( 5.00 )+ ( 7.00 )(−2.00 ) =20.0+ (−14.0 )=6.00
 b. Recall as well that from the definition of the scalar product, ⃗
A∙⃗B =|⃗A||⃗
B|cos θ . From
⃗
A∙B⃗
this definition, we find that cos θ= . From the previous exercise, we have
|A||⃗B|
⃗
obtained the magnitudes of vectors ⃗ A and ⃗ B, namely
| A|=√ A x + A y =√ 4.00 +7.00 =√16.0+ 49.0= √ 25.0=8 .0 6
⃗ 2 2 2 2

|B⃗|=√ B2x + B2y =√ 5.002+(−2.00)2=√ 25.0+ 4.00=√ 29.0=5.39

Hence, we have, as the cosine of the angle between these two vectors,

⃗
A∙⃗B 6.00 6.00
cos θ= = = =0.138
|⃗A||⃗B| (8 .0 6)(5.39) 27.0
Hence, θ=cos−1 ( 0. 138 )=82 . 1°

1.41. Recall the following vectors from Exercise 1.22:

We are asked to compute for the following scalar products: a . ⃗
A∙⃗
B,b.⃗
B∙⃗
C,c.⃗ ⃗.
A ∙C

Before we do that, it is useful to again compute for the components of the vectors ⃗
A,⃗
B and ⃗
C.

A x =0 , A y =−8.00 m, ⃗ A=−(8.00 m) ^j (By inspection of the figure)

Bx =|⃗B| sin ϕ=( 15.0 m ) sin 30.0 °=( 15.0 m )( 0.500 )=7.50 m
B y =|⃗
B|cos ϕ=( 15.0 m ) cos 30.0° =( 15.0 m) ( 0. 866 )=13.0 m
C x =|C
⃗|cos θ=−( 1 2.0 m ) cos 25 .0° =−( 12 .0 m )( 0. 906 )=−10.9 m
C y =|C
⃗|sin θ=−( 12.0 m ) sin 25.0° =−( 12.0 m) ( 0. 423 ) =−5 . 08 m

Again, note that the x and y components of ⃗

C are negative because ⃗
C is pointing in quadrant III.
Hence, we compute for the scalar products requested as follows:

a. ⃗A∙⃗
2
B=A x B x + A y B y =( 0 )( 7.50 m )+ (−8.00 m )( 13.0 m )=−104 m
b.
⃗ ⃗
B∙ C=B 2 2
x C x + B y C y = ( 7.50 m )(−10.9 m ) + ( 13.0 m )( −5.08 m ) =−81.8 m +(−66.0 m )=−1 48 m
2

c. ⃗ ⃗ A x C x + A y C y =( 0 )(−10.9 m ) + (−8.00 m )(−5.08 m )=40.6 m 2

A ∙ C=