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Exercise 6.10 · Q10

Q.If a⃗,b⃗,c⃗\vec a,\vec b,\vec c are three non-coplanar unit vectors such that a⃗×(b⃗×c⃗)=b⃗+c⃗2\vec a\times(\vec b\times\vec c)=\dfrac{\vec b+\vec c}{\sqrt2}, then the angle between a⃗\vec a and b⃗\vec b is

(1) π/2\pi/2
(2) 3π/43\pi/4
(3) π/4\pi/4
(4) π\pi
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Expand the left side and match coefficients of the (independent, since a⃗,b⃗,c⃗\vec a,\vec b,\vec c are non-coplanar) vectors b⃗,c⃗\vec b,\vec c against the given right side to pin down a⃗⋅b⃗\vec a\cdot\vec b directly.

Step 1. Expand. a⃗×(b⃗×c⃗)=(a⃗⋅c⃗)b⃗−(a⃗⋅b⃗)c⃗\vec a\times(\vec b\times\vec c)=(\vec a\cdot\vec c)\vec b-(\vec a\cdot\vec b)\vec c.

Step 2. Equate with the given RHS. (a⃗⋅c⃗)b⃗−(a⃗⋅b⃗)c⃗=12b⃗+12c⃗(\vec a\cdot\vec c)\vec b-(\vec a\cdot\vec b)\vec c=\dfrac{1}{\sqrt2}\vec b+\dfrac1{\sqrt2}\vec c.

Step 3. Match coefficients. a⃗⋅c⃗=12\vec a\cdot\vec c=\dfrac1{\sqrt2} and −(a⃗⋅b⃗)=12⇒a⃗⋅b⃗=−12-(\vec a\cdot\vec b)=\dfrac1{\sqrt2}\Rightarrow\vec a\cdot\vec b=-\dfrac1{\sqrt2}. …

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