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If the sum of two unit vectors is also a...

If the sum of two unit vectors is also a unit vector. Then magnituce of their difference and angle between the two given unit vectors is

A

`sqrt(3),60^(@)`

B

`sqrt(3), 120^(@)`

C

`sqrt(2), 60^(@)`

D

`sqrt(2),120^(@)`

Text Solution

AI Generated Solution

The correct Answer is:
To solve the problem, we need to find the angle between two unit vectors A and B, given that their sum is also a unit vector. We also need to find the magnitude of their difference. ### Step-by-Step Solution: 1. **Understanding the Given Information**: - Let A and B be two unit vectors. Therefore, |A| = 1 and |B| = 1. - The sum of the two unit vectors is given as another unit vector C, i.e., |A + B| = 1. 2. **Using the Magnitude of the Sum of Vectors**: - The magnitude of the sum of two vectors can be expressed as: \[ |A + B|^2 = |A|^2 + |B|^2 + 2|A||B|\cos\theta \] - Since A and B are unit vectors, we have: \[ |A + B|^2 = 1^2 + 1^2 + 2(1)(1)\cos\theta \] - This simplifies to: \[ |A + B|^2 = 1 + 1 + 2\cos\theta = 2 + 2\cos\theta \] 3. **Setting Up the Equation**: - Since |A + B| = 1, we can write: \[ 1^2 = 2 + 2\cos\theta \] - This leads to: \[ 1 = 2 + 2\cos\theta \] 4. **Solving for Cosine**: - Rearranging the equation gives: \[ 2\cos\theta = 1 - 2 \] \[ 2\cos\theta = -1 \] \[ \cos\theta = -\frac{1}{2} \] 5. **Finding the Angle**: - The angle θ for which cosθ = -1/2 is: \[ \theta = 120^\circ \] 6. **Finding the Magnitude of the Difference**: - The magnitude of the difference of the two vectors A and B is given by: \[ |A - B|^2 = |A|^2 + |B|^2 - 2|A||B|\cos\theta \] - Substituting the values, we get: \[ |A - B|^2 = 1^2 + 1^2 - 2(1)(1)\cos(120^\circ) \] - Since cos(120°) = -1/2, we have: \[ |A - B|^2 = 1 + 1 - 2(-\frac{1}{2}) = 2 + 1 = 3 \] - Therefore, the magnitude is: \[ |A - B| = \sqrt{3} \] ### Final Answers: - The angle between the two unit vectors A and B is **120 degrees**. - The magnitude of their difference is **√3**.
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