← 2017 Paper 1

UPSC 2017 Maths Optional Paper 1 Q5e — Step-by-Step Solution

10 marks · Section B

Differentiation of a vector function of a scalar variable · Vector Analysis · asked 5× in 14 yrs · Read the full method →

Question

The position vector of a moving point at time tt is r⃗=sin⁡t i^+cos⁡2t j^+(t2+2t)k^\vec r=\sin t\,\hat i+\cos 2t\,\hat j+(t^2+2t)\hat k. Find the components of acceleration a⃗\vec a in the directions parallel to the velocity vector v⃗\vec v and perpendicular to the plane of r⃗\vec r and v⃗\vec v at time t=0t=0.

Technique

Scalar projection along v⃗\vec v (a⃗⋅v^\vec a\cdot\hat v) and along the plane-normal r⃗×v⃗\vec r\times\vec v (a⃗⋅(r⃗×v⃗)^\vec a\cdot\widehat{(\vec r\times\vec v)}).

Solution

Step 1 — Velocity and acceleration; evaluate at t=0t=0

r⃗=(sin⁡t, cos⁡2t, t2+2t),\vec r=(\sin t,\ \cos 2t,\ t^2+2t), v⃗=r⃗˙=(cos⁡t, −2sin⁡2t, 2t+2),a⃗=r⃗¨=(−sin⁡t, −4cos⁡2t, 2).\vec v=\dot{\vec r}=(\cos t,\ -2\sin 2t,\ 2t+2),\qquad \vec a=\ddot{\vec r}=(-\sin t,\ -4\cos 2t,\ 2).

At t=0t=0:

r⃗0=(0,1,0),v⃗0=(1,0,2),a⃗0=(0,−4,2).\vec r_0=(0,1,0),\qquad \vec v_0=(1,0,2),\qquad \vec a_0=(0,-4,2).

Step 2 — Component of a⃗\vec a parallel to v⃗\vec v

This is the scalar projection a⃗⋅v⃗∣v⃗∣\dfrac{\vec a\cdot\vec v}{|\vec v|}:

a⃗0⋅v⃗0=(0)(1)+(−4)(0)+(2)(2)=4,∣v⃗0∣=12+02+22=5.\vec a_0\cdot\vec v_0=(0)(1)+(-4)(0)+(2)(2)=4,\qquad |\vec v_0|=\sqrt{1^2+0^2+2^2}=\sqrt5. component∥v⃗=45=455≈1.789.\text{component}_{\parallel\vec v}=\frac{4}{\sqrt5}=\frac{4\sqrt5}{5}\approx1.789.

Step 3 — Component of a⃗\vec a perpendicular to the plane of r⃗\vec r and v⃗\vec v

The normal to that plane is r⃗×v⃗\vec r\times\vec v. The required component is a⃗⋅(r⃗×v⃗)∣r⃗×v⃗∣\dfrac{\vec a\cdot(\vec r\times\vec v)}{|\vec r\times\vec v|}.

r⃗0×v⃗0=∣i^j^k^010102∣=(1⋅2−0⋅0, 0⋅1−0⋅2, 0⋅0−1⋅1)=(2,0,−1).\vec r_0\times\vec v_0=\begin{vmatrix}\hat i&\hat j&\hat k\\ 0&1&0\\ 1&0&2\end{vmatrix}=(1\cdot2-0\cdot0,\ 0\cdot1-0\cdot2,\ 0\cdot0-1\cdot1)=(2,0,-1). ∣r⃗0×v⃗0∣=22+02+(−1)2=5,|\vec r_0\times\vec v_0|=\sqrt{2^2+0^2+(-1)^2}=\sqrt5, a⃗0⋅(r⃗0×v⃗0)=(0)(2)+(−4)(0)+(2)(−1)=−2.\vec a_0\cdot(\vec r_0\times\vec v_0)=(0)(2)+(-4)(0)+(2)(-1)=-2. component⊥plane=−25=−255≈−0.894.\text{component}_{\perp\text{plane}}=\frac{-2}{\sqrt5}=-\frac{2\sqrt5}{5}\approx-0.894.

The magnitude of this component is 25\dfrac{2}{\sqrt5}; the negative sign indicates it points opposite to r⃗×v⃗\vec r\times\vec v.

Result

Answer

  along v⃗: 45=455;⊥ to plane(r⃗,v⃗): −25=−255.  \boxed{\;\text{along }\vec v:\ \frac{4}{\sqrt5}=\frac{4\sqrt5}{5};\qquad \perp\text{ to plane}(\vec r,\vec v):\ -\frac{2}{\sqrt5}=-\frac{2\sqrt5}{5}.\;}
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