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If a⃗\vec{a}, b⃗\vec{b} and 3a⃗+b⃗\sqrt{3}\vec{a} + \vec{b} are unit vectors, then the angle between a⃗\vec{a} and b⃗\vec{b} is:

Solution

✅ Correct Option: 4

Given that a⃗\vec{a}, b⃗\vec{b}, and 3a⃗+b⃗\sqrt{3}\vec{a} + \vec{b} are unit vectors:

∣a⃗∣=1|\vec{a}| = 1

∣b⃗∣=1|\vec{b}| = 1

∣3a⃗+b⃗∣=1|\sqrt{3}\vec{a} + \vec{b}| = 1


Since 3a⃗+b⃗\sqrt{3}\vec{a} + \vec{b} is a unit vector:

∣3a⃗+b⃗∣2=1|\sqrt{3}\vec{a} + \vec{b}|^2 = 1


Expanding the magnitude:

∣3a⃗+b⃗∣2=(3)2∣a⃗∣2+2(3a⃗)⋅b⃗+∣b⃗∣2|\sqrt{3}\vec{a} + \vec{b}|^2 = (\sqrt{3})^2|\vec{a}|^2 + 2(\sqrt{3}\vec{a}) \cdot \vec{b} + |\vec{b}|^2

=3∣a⃗∣2+23(a⃗⋅b⃗)+∣b⃗∣2= 3|\vec{a}|^2 + 2\sqrt{3}(\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b}) + |\vec{b}|^2


Substituting ∣a⃗∣=1|\vec{a}| = 1 and ∣b⃗∣=1|\vec{b}| = 1:

=3(1)2+23(a⃗⋅b⃗)+(1)2= 3(1)^2 + 2\sqrt{3}(\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b}) + (1)^2

=3+23(a⃗⋅b⃗)+1= 3 + 2\sqrt{3}(\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b}) + 1

=4+23(a⃗⋅b⃗)= 4 + 2\sqrt{3}(\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b})


Setting equal to 1:

4+23(a⃗⋅b⃗)=14 + 2\sqrt{3}(\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b}) = 1

23(a⃗⋅b⃗)=−32\sqrt{3}(\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b}) = -3

a⃗⋅b⃗=−323\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b} = \dfrac{-3}{2\sqrt{3}}

a⃗⋅b⃗=−323×33\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b} = \dfrac{-3}{2\sqrt{3}} \times \dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3}}

a⃗⋅b⃗=−336\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b} = \dfrac{-3\sqrt{3}}{6}

a⃗⋅b⃗=−32\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b} = \dfrac{-\sqrt{3}}{2}


Using the dot product formula a⃗⋅b⃗=∣a⃗∣∣b⃗∣cos⁡θ\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b} = |\vec{a}||\vec{b}|\cos\theta:

−32=(1)(1)cos⁡θ\dfrac{-\sqrt{3}}{2} = (1)(1)\cos\theta

cos⁡θ=−32\cos\theta = \dfrac{-\sqrt{3}}{2}


For angles between vectors in the range [0,π][0, \pi]:

θ=5π6\theta = \dfrac{5\pi}{6}

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