Example 1 Ans.

(b)
The unit of surface tension in SI system is Sol. According to principle of dimensional homogeneity
(a) Dyne / cm2 (b) Newton/m
(c) Dyne/cm (d) Newton/m2
Ans. (b) Example 6
Sol. From the formula of surface tension, E, m, l and G denote energy, mass, angular
momentum and gravitational constant respectively,

then the dimension of are

By substituting the S.I. units of force and length, we
will get the unit of surface tension = Newton/m (a) Angle (b) Length
Example 2 (c) Mass (d) Time
The unit of momentum is Ans. (a)
(a) Ns (b) Ns 1 Sol. [E]= energy = [ML2T-2], [m] = mass
(c) Nm (d) Nm 1 = [M], [l] = Angular momentum
Ans. (a) = [ML2T-1]
[G] = Gravitational constant
Sol. = [M-1L3T-2]
So, Now substituting dimensions of above quantities in

Units of momentum N-sec

Example 3
If where x is the distance travelled by i.e., the quantity should be angle.
the body in kilometre while t the time in seconds, Example 7
then the units of b are Each side of a cube is measured to be 7.203 m. The
(a) km/s (b) km-s volume of the cube up to appropriate significant
(c) km/s2 (d) km-s2 figures is
Ans. (c) (a) 373.714 (b) 373.71
Sol. From the principle of dimensional homogeneity (c) 373.7 (d) 373
Ans. (c)
Sol. Volume
Unit of b = km/s2
In significant figures volume of cube will be
Example 4
Which relation is wrong? because its side has four significant figures.
(a) 1 Calorie = 4.18 Joules Example 8
(b) 1Å =10 10 m Each side of a cube is measured to be 5.402 cm. The
(c) 1 MeV = 1.6 × 10 13 Joules total surface area and the volume of the cube in
(d) 1 Newton =10-5 Dynes appropriate significant figures are:
Ans. (d) (a)
Sol. Because 1 Newton = 105 Dyne. (b)
Example 5
(c)
The equation of a wave is given by
(d)
where is the angular velocity Ans. (b)
Sol. Total surface area
and v is the linear velocity. The dimension of k is
(a) LT (b) T
(c) T-1 (d) T2 (Upto correct number of significant figure)
 Total volume
Sol. where, S is the distance and t is time

(Upto correct number of significant figure). According to principle of homogeneity

Example 9
The SI unit of universal gas constant (R) is
(a) Watt K-1 mol-1 (b) Newton K-1 mol-1
-1
(c) Joule K mol -1
(d) Erg K-1 mol-1 Example 13
Ans. (c) If the value of resistance is 10.845 ohms and the
Sol. Ideal gas equation value of current is 3.23 amperes, the potential
difference is 35.02935 volts. Its value in significant
number would be
(a) 35 V (b) 35.0 V
So the unit will be Joule K-1 mol-1. (c) 35.03 V (d) 35.025 V
Example 10 Ans. (b)
Sol. Value of current (3.23 A) has minimum significant
The equation constant. The units figure (3) so the value of potential difference
V(= IR) have only 3 significant figure. Hence its
of a is
value be 35.0 V.
(a) Dyne cm5 (b) Dyne cm4
3 Example 14
(c) Dyne cm (d) Dyne cm2
The value of 0.99 0.989 is
Ans. (b)
(a) 0.001 (b) 0.010 × 10 1
Sol. According to the principle of dimensional 1
(c) 0.01 × 10 (d) 0.1 × 10 3
homogeneity
Ans. (c)
Sol.

But in final answer digits after decimal should be

or unit of equal to the minimum digits after decimal in
subtracting values. So, final answer should be up to
Example 11
two decimal number.
Suppose we employ a system in which the unit of
mass equals 100 kg, the unit of length equals 1 km
and the unit of time 100 s and call the unit of energy Example 15
eluoj (joule written in reverse order), then In C.G.S. system the magnitude of the force is 100
(a) 1 eluoj = 104 joule (b) 1 eluoj = 10-3 joule dynes. In another system where the fundamental
-4
(c) 1 eluoj = 10 joule (d) 1 joule = 103 eluoj physical quantities are kilogram, metre and minute,
Ans. (a) the magnitude of the force is
Sol. (a) 0.036 (b) 0.36
(c) 3.6 (d) 36
Ans. (c)
Sol. n1 = 100, M1 = g, L1 = cm, T1 = sec and M2 = kg, L2 =
meter, T2 = minute, x = 1, y = 1,z = - 2
By substituting these values in the following
Example 12 conversion formula

If f has the dimensions of

(a) [M0L 1T3] (b) [MLT 3]

(c) [M0L1T 3] (d) [M0L 1T 3]
Ans. (c)
 Example 18
The potential energy of a particle varies with

distance x from a fixed origin as , where

A and B are dimensional constants then dimensional

Example 16 formula for AB is
Conversion of 1 MW power on a new system having (a) (b)
basic units of mass, length and time as 10kg, 1dm (c) (d)
and 1 minute respectively is Ans. (b)
(a) (b) Sol. From the dimensional homogeneity
(c) (d) x2 B B L2
Ans. (a)
As well as
Sol.
A x1/ 2 A L1/ 2
Using the relation U ML2T 2

x2 B L2

Now
Example 19
[As 1 MW =106 W] If is added to giving due
regard to significant figures, then the result will be
(a) (b)
(c) (d) None of these
unit
Ans. (b)
Example 17
The equation of the stationary wave is Sol.

, which of the
X 4.70 10 5
following statements is wrong In final answer digits after decimal be one.
(a) The dimension of ct is same as that of Example 20
(b) The dimension of x is same as that of If velocity (V), force (F) and energy (E) are taken as
(c) The dimension of is same as that of fundamental units, then dimensional formula for
mass will be
(d) The dimension of is same as that of (a) (b)
Ans. (d) (c) (d)
Ans. (d)
Sol. Here, as well as are dimensionless
Sol. Let
(angle) Putting dimensions of each quantities in both side

i.e.,
Equating powers of dimensions. We have
So (i) unit of c t is same as that of
b c 1, a b 2c 0 and
(ii) unit of x is same as that of
Solving these equations, and c = 1
(iii) and (iv) is unit less. It is not
So
Example 21
the case with .
 So maximum error in a is given by
The resistance where V= 100 5 volts and I
a
100
= 10 0.2 amperes. What is the total error in R? a max
(a) 5% (b) 7%

(c) 5.2% (d) %

Ans. (b)

Example 24
Error in the measurement of radius of sphere is 2%.
The error in the measurement of volume is
(a) 1% (b) 5%
Example 22 (c) 3% (d) 6%
If x = a b, the maximum percentage error in the Ans. (d)
measurement of x will be
Sol. Volume of sphere
a b
(a) 100%
a b

(b)

(c)
Example 25
The length of a cylinder is measured with a meter rod
(d)
having least count 0.1 cm. Its diameter is measured
Ans. (a) with vernier callipers having least count 0.01 cm.
Sol. Given that length is 5.0 cm. and radius is 2.0 cm. The
As we know percentage error in the calculated value of the
volume will be
(a) 1% (b) 2%
(c) 3% (d) 4%
Ans. (c)
Sol. Volume of cylinder
Percentage error in volume
Example 23 V 2 r l
A physical parameter a can be determined by 100 100 100
V r l
measuring the parameters b, c, d and e using the
relation .
If the maximum errors in the measurement of b, c, d
and e are and , then the Example 26
maximum error in the value of a determined by the
. When
experiment is 2
expressed in CGS units of dyne/cm . It will be equal
(a) b1 c1 d1 e1 %
to (1 N = 105 dyne, 1m2 = 104 cm2)
(b) (a) (b)
(c) b1 c1 d1 e1 % (c) (d)
Ans. (c)
(d)
Sol. According to the problem,
Ans. (d)
Sol. 1 N in SI system of unit = 105 dyne in C.G.S. system.
 Hence,

should also convert m into cm.

Basic Mathematics Sol. and the angle between them

Example 27
The roots of the equation are
(a) real and different
(b) imaginary and different
Using the right hand-thumb rule, the direction of
(c) real and equal
(d) rational and different is along z direction.
Ans. (a)
Sol. The discrimination of the equation

Using the right hand-thumb rule, the direction of

= 8 4 = 4 > 0 and a perfect square
is along + z direction.
So roots and real and different
Example 28 Example 31
If the roots of the equation are real Find where and
then the value of P is .
(a) (b)
(c) (d) none of these Sol.
Ans. (b)
Sol. Here a = 1, b = 2, c = P
discriminant (since roots are
real)

Example 29
Comment on the magnitude and direction of the
following vector Example 32
(a) Determinant method, find , where
Sol. and

Sol.

Example 30
Find the magnitude and direction of
Example 33
, where lies in x-y plane.
 Calculate the area of the parallelogram when Find the average acceleration in 10 seconds. Given
adjacent sides are given by the vectors
where a is acceleration v is velocity.
and .

Sol. We know that the area of parallelogram (a) (b)

(c) (d)

Ans. (b)

Sol.
Area of parallelogram

sq. unit
Example 34
Calculate the area of the triangle determined by the
two vectors and

Sol. We know that the area of triangle

Direction north west

Example 37
The unit vector parallel to the resultant of the vectors
Area of triangle sq.unit and is

Example 35 (a) (b)

If and are two vectors such that
(c) (d)
and , find the angle between and .
Ans. (a)
Sol. Given and Sol. Resultant of vectors and
Angle between the vectors:

Example 38
The vectors from origin to the points A and B are
and respectively.
The area of the triangle OAB be

Example 36 (a) sq. units (b) sq. units

A particle is moving with velocity 5 m/s towards east
and its velocity changes to 5 m/s north in 10 second.
 Example 41
(c) sq. units (d) sq. units
If the sum of two unit vectors is a unit vector, then
Ans. (a) magnitude of difference is
Sol. Given and (a) (b)

(c) (d)

Ans. (b)
Sol. Let and are the two unit vectors then the sum
is

Since it is given that is also a unit vector, therefore

Area of sq.unit

Example 39 Now the difference vector is or

If then is equal to
(a) (b)
(c) (d) none of these
Ans. (a)
Example 42
Sol. The resultant of two vectors A and B is perpendicular
to the vector A and its magnitude is equal to half the
magnitude of vector B. The angle between A and B is
(a) 120o (b) 150o
o
(c) 135 (d) none of these
Ans. (b)
Sol.
Example 40
If for two vector and . Sum is

perpendicular to the difference . The ratio of

their magnitude is
Hence, from (i)
(a) 1 (b) 2
(c) 3 (d) none of these
Ans. (a)
Sol. is perpendicular to . Thus
Example 43
or Resolve a weight of 10 N in two directions which are
parallel and perpendicular to a slope inclined at 30 o to
Because of commutative property of dot product the horizontal

Thus the ratio of magnitudes

Sol. Component perpendicular to the plane

and component parallel to the

plane

Example 44
If the resultant of n forces of different magnitudes
acting at a point is zero, then the minimum value of n
is
(a) 1 (b) 2
(c) 3 (d) 4
Ans. (c)
Sol. If vectors are of equal magnitude then two vectors
can give zero resultant, if they works in opposite
direction. But if the vectors are of different
magnitudes then minimum three vectors are required
to give zero resultant.
Example 45
The sum of the magnitudes of two forces acting at
point is 18 and the magnitude of their resultant is 12.
If the resultant is at 90° with the force of smaller
magnitude, what are the magnitudes of forces
(a) 12, 5 (b) 14, 4
(c) 5, 13 (d) 10, 8
Ans. (c)
Sol. Let P be the smaller force and Q be the greater force
then according to problem?

By solving (i), (ii) and (iii) we will get P = 5 and Q =

13