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Chapter: Chapter 3

Multiple Choice

1. We say that the displacement of a particle is a vector quantity. Our best justification for this
assertion is:
A) displacement can be specified by a magnitude and a direction
B) operating with displacements according to the rules for manipulating vectors leads to results
in agreement with experiments
C) a displacement is obviously not a scalar
D) displacement can be specified by three numbers
E) displacement is associated with motion

Ans: B
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-2

2. The vectors , , and are related by . Which diagram below illustrates this
relationship?

A) I.
B) II.
C) III.
D) IV.
E) None of these

Ans: D
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-3

3. A vector of magnitude 3 CANNOT be added to a vector of magnitude 4 so that the

magnitude of the resultant is:
A) zero
B) 1
C) 3
D) 5
E) 7

Ans: A
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-3

4. A vector of magnitude 20 is added to a vector of magnitude 25. The magnitude of this sum
can be:
A) zero
B) 3
C) 12
D) 47
E) 50

Ans: C
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-3

5. A vector of magnitude 6 and another vector have a resultant of magnitude 12. The
vector :
A) must have a magnitude of at least 6 but no more than 18
B) may have a magnitude of 20
C) cannot have a magnitude greater than 12
D) must be perpendicular to
E) must be perpendicular to the resultant vector

Ans: A
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-3

6. The vector is:

A) greater than in magnitude
B) less than in magnitude
C) in the same direction as
D) in the direction opposite to
E) perpendicular to

Ans: D
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-3

7. The vector in the diagram is equal to:

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Ans: C
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-3
8. If , then:
A) must be parallel and in the same direction
B) must be parallel and in opposite directions
C) either must be zero
D) the angle between must be 60
E) none of the above is true

Ans: E
Difficulty: M
Section: 3-3

9. If and neither vanish, then:

A) are parallel and in the same direction
B) are parallel and in opposite directions
C) the angle between is 45
D) the angle between is 60
E) is perpendicular to

Ans: A
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-3

10. If and neither vanish, then:

A) are parallel and in the same direction
B) are parallel and in opposite directions
C) the angle between is 45
D) the angle between is 60
E) is perpendicular to
Ans: B
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-3

11. Four vectors all have the same magnitude. The angle  between adjacent
vectors is 45 as shown. The correct vector equation is:

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Ans: B
Difficulty: H
Section: 3-3

12. Vectors lie in the xy plane. We can deduce that if:

A) Ax + Ay = Bx + By2
2 2 2

B) Ax + Ay = Bx + By
C) Ax = Bx and Ay = By
D) Ay /Ax = By /Bx
E) Ax = Ay and Bx = By

Ans: C
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-3
13. A vector has a magnitude of 12. When its tail is at the origin it lies between the positive x
axis and negative y axis and makes an angle of 30 with the x axis. Its y component is:
A)
B)
C) 6
D) –6
E) 12

Ans: D
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-4

14. If the x component of a vector , in the xy plane, is half as large as the magnitude of the
vector, the tangent of the angle between the vector and the x axis is:
A)
B) 1/2
C)
D) 3/2
E) 3

Ans: D
Difficulty: M
Section: 3-4

15. If then has magnitude:

A) 10 m
B) 20 m
C) 30 m
D) 40 m
E) 50 m

Ans: D
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-4
16. A vector has a component of 10 m in the +x direction, a component of 10 m in the +y
direction, and a component of 5 m in the +z direction. The magnitude of this vector is:
A) zero
B) 15 m
C) 20 m
D) 25 m
E) 225 m

Ans: B
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-4

17. Let The magnitude of is:

A) 5.00
B) 5.57
C) 7.00
D) 7.42
E) 8.54

Ans: C
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-4

18. A vector in the xy plane has a magnitude of 25 and an x component of 12. The angle it
makes with the positive x axis is:
A) 26
B) 29
C) 61
D) 64
E) 241

Ans: C
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-4
19. The angle between and the positive x axis is:
A) 29
B) 61
C) 151
D) 209
E) 241

Ans: B
Difficulty: M
Section: 3-4, 5

20. The angle between and the positive x axis is:

A) 29
B) 61
C) 119
D) 151
E) 209

Ans: C
Difficulty: M
Section: 3-4, 5

21. Let The vector sum

is:
A)
B)
C)
D)
E) none of these

Ans: A
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-6
22. Let The vector difference
is:
A)
B)
C)
D)
E) none of these

Ans: B
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-6

23. If
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Ans: A
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-6

24. In the diagram, has magnitude 12 and has magnitude 8. The x component of is
about:

A) 5.5 m
B) 7.6 m
C) 12 m
D) 14 m
E) 15 m

Ans: C
Difficulty: M
Section: 3-6

25. A certain vector in the xy plane has an x component of 4m and a y component of 10m. It is
then rotated in the xy plane so its x component is doubled. Its new y component is about:
A) 20 m
B) 7.2 m
C) 5.0 m
D) 4.5 m
E) 2.2 m

Ans: B
Difficulty: M
Section: 3-7

26. Vectors each have magnitude L. When drawn with their tails at the same point, the
angle between them is 30. The value of is:
A) zero
B) L2
C)
D) 2L2
E) none of these

Ans: C
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-8

27. Let Then equals:

A)
B)
C) 23
D) 17
E) none of these

Ans: D
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-8

28. Two vectors have magnitudes of 10 and 15. The angle between them when they are drawn
with their tails at the same point is 65. The component of the longer vector along the line of the
shorter is:
A) 0
B) 4.2
C) 6.3
D) 9.1
E) 14

Ans: C
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-8

29. Let The angle between these two

vectors is given by:
A) cos–1(14/15)
B) cos–1(11/225)
C) cos–1(104/225)
D) cos–1(11/15)
E) cannot be found since do not lie in the same plane

Ans: D
Difficulty: M
Section: 3-8

30. Two vectors lie with their tails at the same point. When the angle between them is increased
by 20 their scalar product has the same magnitude but changes from positive to negative. The
original angle between them was:
A) 0
B) 60
C) 70
D) 80
E) 90

Ans: D
Difficulty: H
Section: 3-8

31. If the magnitude of the sum of two vectors is less than the magnitude of either vector, then:
A) the scalar product of the vectors must be negative
B) the scalar product of the vectors must be positive
C) the vectors must be parallel and in opposite directions
D) the vectors must be parallel and in the same direction
E) none of the above

Ans: A
Difficulty: M
Section: 3-8

32. If the magnitude of the sum of two vectors is greater than the magnitude of either vector,
then:
A) the scalar product of the vectors must be negative
B) the scalar product of the vectors must be positive
C) the vectors must be parallel and in opposite directions
D) the vectors must be parallel and in the same direction
E) none of the above

Ans: E
Difficulty: M
Section: 3-8

33. Vectors each have magnitude L. When drawn with their tails at the same point, the
angle between them is 30. The magnitude of is:
A) L2/2
B) L2
C)
D) 2L2
E) none of these

Ans: A
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-8

34. Two vectors lie with their tails at the same point. When the angle between them is increased
by 20 the magnitude of their vector product doubles. The original angle between them was
about:
A) 0
B) 18
C) 25
D) 45
E) 90

Ans: B
Difficulty: H
Section: 3-8

35. Two vectors have magnitudes of 10 and 15. The angle between them when they are drawn
with their tails at the same point is 65. The component of the longer vector along the line
perpendicular to the shorter vector, in the plane of the vectors, is:
A) 0
B) 4.2
C) 6.3
D) 9.1
E) 14

Ans: E
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-8

36. The two vectors define a plane (it is the

plane of the triangle with both tails at one vertex and each head at one of the other vertices).
Which of the following vectors is perpendicular to the plane?
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Ans: A
Difficulty: M
Section: 3-8

37. Let and  90, where is the angle between when they are drawn
with their tails at the same point. Which of the following is NOT true?

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Ans: E
Difficulty: M
Section: 3-8

38. The value of is:

A) zero
B) +1
C) –1
D) 3
E)

Ans: B
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-8
39. The value of is:
A) zero
B) +1
C) –1
D) 3
E)

Ans: A
Difficulty: E
Section: 3-8