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NEET
Exam
NEET
Subject
Physics
Chapter
Oscillations

NEET · Physics · Oscillations

A particle is subjected to two mutually perpendicular Simple...

A particle is subjected to two mutually perpendicular Simple Harmonic Motions such that its coordinates at any time tt are given by x=Asin⁡(ωt)x = A \sin(\omega t) and y=Acos⁡(ωt)y = A \cos(\omega t). What is the shape of the particle's trajectory, and what is the angle between its velocity vector and position vector at any instant t>0t > 0?

Options

  1. AStraight line, 0∘0^{\circ}
  2. BCircle, 0∘0^{\circ}
  3. CCircle, 90∘90^{\circ}
  4. DEllipse, 45∘45^{\circ}

Correct answer

C. Circle, 90∘90^{\circ}

Step-by-step solution

The position of the particle is given by x=Asin⁡(ωt)x = A \sin(\omega t) and y=Acos⁡(ωt)y = A \cos(\omega t).

Squaring and adding the equations, we get:
x2+y2=A2sin⁡2(ωt)+A2cos⁡2(ωt)=A2x^2 + y^2 = A^2 \sin^2(\omega t) + A^2 \cos^2(\omega t) = A^2
This represents the equation of a circle. Thus, the trajectory of the particle is circular.

The position vector is r⃗=Asin⁡(ωt)i^+Acos⁡(ωt)j^\vec{r} = A \sin(\omega t) \hat{i} + A \cos(\omega t) \hat{j}.

The velocity vector is obtained by differentiating the position vector with respect to time:
v⃗=dr⃗dt=Aωcos⁡(ωt)i^−Aωsin⁡(ωt)j^\vec{v} = \dfrac{d\vec{r}}{dt} = A\omega \cos(\omega t) \hat{i} - A\omega \sin(\omega t) \hat{j}

Taking the dot product of r⃗\vec{r} and v⃗\vec{v}:
r⃗⋅v⃗=(Asin⁡(ωt))(Aωcos⁡(ωt))+(Acos⁡(ωt))(−Aωsin⁡(ωt))=0\vec{r} \cdot \vec{v} = (A \sin(\omega t))(A\omega \cos(\omega t)) + (A \cos(\omega t))(-A\omega \sin(\omega t)) = 0

Since the dot product is zero, the position vector and velocity vector are always perpendicular to each other. Therefore, the angle between them is 90∘90^{\circ}.

Answer: Circle, 90∘90^{\circ}
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