Moderate

The rectangular components of a vector have angle between them

Correct answer: C. 90°

  • A.
  • B. 60°
  • C. 90°
  • D. 120°

Explanation

The rectangular components of a vector have an angle of 90 degrees (perpendicular) between them in a Cartesian coordinate system. The reason the components have a 90-degree angle between them is a fundamental characteristic of Cartesian coordinates. The Cartesian coordinate system is designed such that the axes are orthogonal (perpendicular) to each other. When we express a vector in terms of its rectangular components, we are essentially breaking it down into its projections along these orthogonal axes. The right angle (90 degrees) between the axes ensures that these components are independent of each other.

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About Vectors and Equilibrium

Vectors have magnitude and direction, unlike scalars, and are combined by head-to-tail or parallelogram methods. Work covers rectangular components, equilibrium when the resultant force is zero, the scalar product for work and projections, and the vector product for torque and cross-product direction using the right-hand rule.

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