Home MCQs EEJ MAIN Physics Question #5509
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EEJ MAIN Physics QUESTION #5509
Question 1 (Enter numeric answer)
Position vectors of two particles A and B (each of mass 1 kg) are \(\vec{r}_A=(t^2\hat{i}+3nt\hat{j}+2t\hat{k})\,\text{m}\) and \(\vec{r}_B=(2t\hat{i}-t^2\hat{j}+4pt\hat{k})\,\text{m}\). At \(t=1\,\text{s}\), \(|\vec{V}_A|=|\vec{V}_B|\) and \(\vec{V}_A\perp\vec{V}_B\). The magnitude of angular momentum of A about B's position at \(t=1\,\text{s}\) is \(\sqrt{L}\,\text{kg\,m}^2\text{s}^{-1}\). Find \(L\).
Correct Answer:
Correct Answer Explanation
Velocities: \(\vec{V}_A=\frac{d\vec{r}_A}{dt}=(2t\hat{i}+3n\hat{j}+2\hat{k})\) and \(\vec{V}_B=\frac{d\vec{r}_B}{dt}=(2\hat{i}-2t\hat{j}+4p\hat{k})\). At \(t=1\): \(\vec{V}_A=(2\hat{i}+3n\hat{j}+2\hat{k})\), \(\vec{V}_B=(2\hat{i}-2\hat{j}+4p\hat{k})\). Condition \(\vec{V}_A\cdot\vec{V}_B=0\): \(4-6n+8p=0\). Condition \(|\vec{V}_A|=|\vec{V}_B|\): \(4+9n^2+4=4+4+16p^2\Rightarrow9n^2=16p^2\Rightarrow3n=4p\) (taking positive values, so \(n=4k,p=3k\)). Substituting into dot product: \(4-6(4k)+8(3k)=4-24k+24k=4\neq0\). So try \(3n=-4p\): let \(n=4,p=-3\) (or use \(3n+4p=0,n=4,p=-3\)... re-examine). Using \(4-6n+8p=0\) and \(9n^2=16p^2\): let \(p=\frac{3n}{4}\): \(4-6n+8\cdot\frac{3n}{4}=4-6n+6n=4\neq0\). Try \(p=-\frac{3n}{4}\): \(4-6n-6n=0\Rightarrow n=\frac{1}{3}\). Then \(p=-\frac{1}{4}\). At \(t=1\): \(\vec{V}_A=(2,1,2)\), \(\vec{V}_B=(2,-2,-1)\). \(\vec{V}_A\cdot\vec{V}_B=4-2-2=0\checkmark\). Relative position \(\vec{r}_{A/B}=\vec{r}_A-\vec{r}_B|_{t=1}=(1-2)\hat{i}+(1+1)\hat{j}+(2-4)\hat{k}=(-1,2,-2)\,\text{m}\). Angular momentum \(\vec{L}=m(\vec{r}_{A/B}\times\vec{V}_A)=1\cdot\begin{vmatrix}\hat{i}&\hat{j}&\hat{k}\\-1&2&-2\\2&1&2\end{vmatrix}=\hat{i}(4+2)-\hat{j}(-2+4)+\hat{k}(-1-4)=(6,-6,-5)\). \(|\vec{L}|=\sqrt{36+36+25}=\sqrt{97}\). However the official answer is \(L=90\), which comes from \(\vec{r}_{A/B}=(-1,4,-2)\) using exact \(n,p\) values. With \(n=1/3, p=-1/4\): at \(t=1\), \(\vec{r}_A=(1,1,2)\), \(\vec{r}_B=(2,-1,-1)\), so \(\vec{r}_{A/B}=(-1,2,3)\). \(\vec{r}_{A/B}\times\vec{V}_A=\begin{vmatrix}\hat{i}&\hat{j}&\hat{k}\\-1&2&3\\2&1&2\end{vmatrix}=(4-3)\hat{i}-(−2-6)\hat{j}+(-1-4)\hat{k}=(1,8,-5)\). \(|L|^2=1+64+25=90\). So \(L=90\).