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Let a⃗\vec{a} and b⃗\vec{b} are unit vectors. If 3a⃗−b⃗\sqrt{3}\vec{a} - \vec{b} is a unit vector, then the angle between a⃗\vec{a} and b⃗\vec{b} is

Solution

✅ Correct Option: 1

Given that a⃗\vec{a} and b⃗\vec{b} are unit vectors, so ∣a⃗∣=1|\vec{a}| = 1 and ∣b⃗∣=1|\vec{b}| = 1.

Also given that 3a⃗−b⃗\sqrt{3}\vec{a} - \vec{b} is a unit vector.


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

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

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


Expanding the left side using the dot product formula:

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

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

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


Setting this equal to 1:

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

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

a⃗⋅b⃗=323\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b} = \frac{3}{2\sqrt{3}}

=323×33= \frac{3}{2\sqrt{3}} \times \frac{\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3}}

=336= \frac{3\sqrt{3}}{6}

=32= \frac{\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:

cos⁡θ=a⃗⋅b⃗∣a⃗∣∣b⃗∣\cos\theta = \frac{\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b}}{|\vec{a}||\vec{b}|}

=3/21×1= \frac{\sqrt{3}/2}{1 \times 1}

=32= \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}


Since cos⁡θ=32\cos\theta = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}, the angle θ=π6\theta = \frac{\pi}{6}.

Therefore, the angle between a⃗\vec{a} and b⃗\vec{b} is π6\frac{\pi}{6}.

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