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According to the head to tail rule, if the forces are unequal in terms of direction and magnitude, then the minimum number of forces with the sum of zero will be

Correct answer: B. 3

  • A. 2
  • B. 3
  • C. 4
  • D. 5

Explanation

The head-to-tail rule for vector addition states that vectors can be added by placing them head to tail, and the resultant vector is drawn from the tail of the first vector to the head of the last vector. For the vector sum to be zero, the vectors must form a closed loop. Three vectors can form a closed triangle, which is the simplest shape that satisfies this condition. Therefore, the minimum number of forces with unequal magnitude and direction that can sum to zero is three. Options A, C, and D suggest numbers of forces that are either too few to form a closed loop (in the case of two) or more than the minimum required (in the case of four and five).

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About Addition of Vectors

Vector addition combines directed quantities using the head-to-tail, parallelogram and component methods. Work includes finding the resultant magnitude and direction for two or more vectors, resolving vectors into perpendicular components, and distinguishing vector addition from scalar addition, where direction has no role.

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