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Question

^i and ^j are unit vectors along x- and y- axis respectively.

A) What is the magnitude and direction of the vectors ^i+^j and ^i^j ?

B) What are the components of a vector A=2^i+3^j along the directions of ^i+^j, and ^i^j ?

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Solution

A) Part 1 : - Recall how to find magnitude and direction of a vector.
Let us assume C=^i+^j=Cx^i+Cy^j
|C|=(1)2+(1)2=2 unit
Direction from x-axis:
tanθ=CyCx=1
θ=45

Similarly, for ^i^j
Assume B=Bx^i+By^j=^i^j
|B|=B2x+B2y=(1)2+(1)2=2 unit
Direction of B from x-axis:
tanϕ=ByBx=1
ϕ=45 in clockwise sense.

B) Part 2 : - Component of one vector in the direction of another vector.
If A&B are two vectors and θ is the angle between them, then
A.B=|A||B|cosθ
Component of A along B is, |A|cosθ=A.B|B|
So, component of A=2^i+3^j along the direction of C=^i+^j,
Acosθ=A.C|C|=(2^i+3^j).(^i+^j)(1)2+(1)2
Acosθ=2+32=52unit.
Similarly, component of A=2^i+3^j along the direction of B=^i^j,
Acosθ=A.B|B|=(2^i+3^j).(^i^j)(1)2+(1)2
=232=12unit.

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