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Show that the vector-valued function shown below describes the motion of a particle moving in a circle of radius 1 centered at the point (,,) and lying in the plane xyz.

Option 1: The function is periodic with a period of 2π, representing circular motion.

Option 2: The function exhibits constant magnitude, indicating circular motion.

Option 3: The function's derivative is orthogonal to the original function, characteristic of circular motion.

Option 4: The function's second derivative is parallel to the original function, confirming circular motion.

User Huzo
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The vector-valued function r(t) = (4.0 cos 3t)i + (4.0 sin 3t)j describes the motion of a particle moving in a circle of radius 4.0 centered at the origin in the xy-plane. The function is periodic with a period of 2π and its second derivative is parallel to the original function, confirming circular motion.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this case, the position of the particle is given by the vector-valued function r(t) = (4.0 cos 3t)i + (4.0 sin 3t)j, where r is in meters and t is in seconds. To show that this function describes the motion of a particle moving in a circle, we need to check all the given options.

  1. Option 1: The function is periodic with a period of 2π, representing circular motion. This is true, as the cosine and sine functions are periodic with a period of 2π, and 3t ranges from 0 to 2π for one complete revolution.
  2. Option 2: The function exhibits constant magnitude, indicating circular motion. This is true, as the magnitude of r(t) is always 4.0, which is the radius of the circle.
  3. Option 3: The function's derivative is orthogonal to the original function, characteristic of circular motion. This is not true, as the derivative of r(t) is (-12.0 sin 3t)i + (12.0 cos 3t)j, which is not orthogonal to r(t).
  4. Option 4: The function's second derivative is parallel to the original function, confirming circular motion. This is true, as the second derivative of r(t) is (-36.0 cos 3t)i - (36.0 sin 3t)j, which is parallel to r(t).

Based on the above analysis, the correct options are Option 1 and Option 4.

User Djc
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