Physics P a g e |1

Vector Analysis....
Vector:
Any physical quantities having both magnitude and direction are called vectors. Such as displacement,
velocity, force and acceleration.

Graphically a vector is represented by an arrow, 𝑂𝑃⃗ defining the direction,

the magnitude of the vector being indicated by the length of the arrow.
Analytically a vector is represented by a letter with an arrow over it, as 𝐴⃗ ,
and its magnitude is denoted by |A| or simply A. In printed works, bold face
type, such as A, is used to indicate the vector 𝐴⃗, while |A| or A indicates its
magnitude.

 Two vectors A and B are equal if they have the same magnitude and direction regardless of the
position of their initial points. Thus A = B.
 A vector having direction opposite to that of vector A but having the same magnitude is denoted by -
A.

Scalar:
A physical quantity characterised by magnitude only is called a scaler. Such as speed, mass, length etc.
scalers are nothing more than real numbers.

Vector Algebra:
There are two basic operations with vectors: a) Vector addition b) Scalar Multiplication.

Vector addition:
Triangle Law of Vector Addition:
Triangle law of vector addition states that when two vectors are
represented as two sides of the triangle with the order of magnitude and
direction, then the third side of the triangle represents the magnitude and
direction of the resultant vector.

𝑅⃗ = 𝐴⃗ + 𝐵⃗

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Parallelogram law of vector addition:

According to the Parallelogram law of vector addition, if two vectors 𝐴⃗ and 𝐵⃗

represent two sides of a parallelogram in magnitude and direction, then their
sum 𝐴⃗ + 𝐵⃗ is the diagonal of the parallelogram through their common point in
magnitude and direction.

𝑅⃗ = 𝐴⃗ + 𝐵⃗
If A = B, then A-B is defined as the null or zero vector and is represented by the symbol 0 or simply 0. It has
zero magnitude and no specific direction. A vector which is not null is a proper vector.

Scalar Multiplication:
Multiplication of a vector A by a scalar m produces a vector mA with magnitude |m| times the magnitude of A
and with direction the same as or opposite to that of A, according as m is positive or negative. If m = 0, mA is
the null vector.

Laws of Vector Algebra:

If A, B and C are vectors and m and n are scalars, then
1. A+ B = B + A Commutative Law for Addition
2. A+ (B+C) = (A+B) + C Associative Law for Addition
3. mA = Am Commutative Law for Multiplication
4. m (nA) = (mn) A Associative Law for Multiplication
5. (m+ n) A = mA + nA Distributive Law
6. m (A+ B) = mA + mB Distributive Law

Types of Vectors:
Zero Vector or null vector: A vector whose initial and terminal points coincide, is called a zero vector (or null
vector), and denoted as 0⃗. Zero vector cannot be assigned a definite direction as it has zero magnitude. Or,
alternatively otherwise, it may be regarded as having any direction.
Unit Vector: A unit vector is a vector having unit magnitude. If A is a vector with magnitude |A|> 0, then A/|A|
is a unit vector having the same direction as A. Any vector A can be represented by a unit vector a in the direction
of A multiplied by the magnitude of |A|. In symbols, A = Aa.

Rectangular unit vector:

An important set of unit vectors are those having the directions of the positive x, y, and z axes of a three
dimensional rectangular coordinate system, and are denoted respectively by i, j, and k.

Right handed triad system:

In a right handed triad system if we look along the x
axis then sequentially to go from y to z we need to
rotate in the anticlockwise direction. This is again true
if we start from y or from z also. In the similar manner
for left handed system if we look along the x axis then
sequentially to go from y to z we need to rotate in the
clockwise direction. In Physics we mostly deal with
right handed triad system.

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COMPONENTS OF A VECTOR.
Any vector A in 3 dimensions can a represented with initial point at the origin 0 of a rectangular coordinate
system. Let (Al, A2, A3) be the rectangular coordinates of the terminal point of vector A with initial point at 0.
The vectors A1i, A2j, and A3k are called the rectangular component vectors or simply component vectors of A
in the x, y and z directions respectively. A1, A2 and A3 are called the rectangular components or simply
components of A in the x, y and z directions respectively.
The sum or resultant of A1i, A2j and A3k vectors is equivalent to vector A.
A = A1i + A2j + A3k

The magnitude of A is |𝐀| = √𝐴1 + 𝐴2 + 𝐴3

Scalar field:
If to each point (x, y, z) of a region R in space there corresponds a number or scalar then is called a scalar
function of position or scalar point function and we say that a scalar field 0 has been defined in R.
Examples. The temperature at any point within or on the earth's surface at a certain time defines a scalar field.
ф(x, y, z) = x3y - z2 defines a scalar field.

Vector field:
If to each point (x, y, z) of a region R in space there corresponds to a vector V(x, y, z), then V is called a vector
function.
Examples. If the velocity at any point (x, y, z) within a moving fluid is known at a certain time, then a vector
field is defined. V(x, y, z) = xy2i - 2yz3j + x2zk defines a vector field.

Vector Multiplication:
It is of two types “Cross product” and “Dot product.”

Cross Product
The cross product of two vectors results in a vector quantity. It is represented by a cross sign between two
vectors. A×B
The mathematical value of a cross product-
A x B = |A| |B| sin θ n
where,

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|A| is the magnitude of vector A, |B| is the magnitude of vector B, θ is the angle between two vectors A & B.
and n is a unit vector showing the direction of the multiplication of two vectors.
 If the two vectors are parallel to each other then, θ =0 and so sinθ is zero. Hence the cross product of
two parallel vectors is zero (vector).
 The cross product of two vectors A and B represents the area of a parallelogram formed by the two
vectors.

Dot product
The dot product of two vectors always result in scalar quantity, i.e. it has only magnitude and no direction. It is
represented by a dot in between two vectors.
A.B
The mathematical value of the dot product is given as
A.B = |A| |B| cos θ

 If the two vectors are perpendicular to each other then, θ =90 and so cosθ is zero. Hence the dot
product of two perpendicular vectors is zero.
 If the projection of a vector A is told to be determined along any other vector B, then we need to
compute the unit vector along B and then a dot product of A with the calculated unit vector.

Scalar triple product:

The scalar triple product of three vectors A, B and C is defined as A.(B x C). It is sometimes called as box
product and may be denoted by [ABC].
To compute the scalar triple product, we need to form a matrix by the coefficients of the three vectors and
then calculate the determinant value of that matrix.
Let the three vectors be A = A1i + A2j + A3k,
B = B1i + B2j + B3k &
C = C1i + C2j + C3k
𝐴1 𝐴2 𝐴3
Then, A. (B x C) = 𝐵1 𝐵2 𝐵3 = A1 (B2 C3 – B3 C2) – A2 (B1 C3 – B3 C1) + A3 (B1 C2 – B2 C1)
𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3
 If the determinant value is equal to zero, then the three vectors are called coplanar or linearly
independent.
 This triple product represents the volume of a parallelepiped formed by the three vectors A, B and C.

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Vector problems….
1) If a vector 2i^+3j^+8k^is perpendicular to the vector 4j^−4i^+αk^. Then what is the value of
α?
2) Prove that the vectors A = 3i^ + j^ - 2k^, B = - i^ + 3j^ + 4k^, C = 4i^ - 2j^ - 6k^ can form the
sides of a triangle. Find the lengths of the medians of the triangle.
3) If r1 = 2i- j + k, r2 = i + 3j - 2k, r3 = -2i+j-3k and r4= 3i+ 2j +5k, find scalars a, b, c such that
r4 = ar1 + br2 + cr3.
4) If two vectors 2i^+3j^−k^ and −4i^−6j^−λk^ are parallel to each other then what is the value
of λ?
5) Find a unit vector parallel to the resultant of vectors r1 = 6i + 4j - 5k, r2 = -i + 2j + 3k.
6) Given r1 = 3i - 2j + k, r2 = 2i - 4j - 3k, r3 = - i + 2j + 2k, find the magnitudes of 2r1 + 3r2 - r3.
7) If for two vector A and B, sum (A+B) is perpendicular to the difference (A-B). What is the
ratio of their magnitudes?
8) Prove that A = i + j + k, B = i + 3j + k and C = 2i + 2j + 2k are coplanar.
9) Given the scalar field defined by c(x, y, z) = 4yz3 + 3xyz - z2 + 2. Find (a) c(1,-1,-2), (b) c(0,-3,1).
10) The angle between the vectors A and B is θ. What is the value of the scalar triple product
A.(B×A)?
11) If A⃗ ×B⃗ =B⃗ ×A⃗ then what is the angle between A and B?
12) If A⃗=3i^+j^+2k^ and B⃗=2i^−2j^+4k^ then find the value of | A⃗× B⃗|.
13) What is the angle between two vectors −2i^+3j^+k^ and i^+2j^−4k^ ?
14) What is the angle between the vectors (i^+j^) and (j^+k^) ?
15) What is the area of the parallelogram represented by the vectors A⃗=2i^+3j^ and B⃗=i^+4j^ ?
16) The position vectors of points A, B, C and D are A=3i^+4j^+5k^, B=4i^+5j^+6k^,
C=7i^+9j^+3k^ and D=4i^+6j^ then what are the displacement vectors AB and CD ?
17) The diagonals of a parallelogram are 2i^ and 2j^.What is the area of the parallelogram?
18) What is the unit vector perpendicular to the following vectors 2i^+2j^−k^ and 6i^−3j^+2k^?
19) Dot product of two mutual perpendicular vector is
A) 0 B) 1 C) 90 D) None of these
20) If a particle moves from point P (2, 3, 5) to point Q (3,4,5). What will be the displacement
vector?
21) Find the vector A that must be added to the vector i^−3j^+2k^ and 3i^+6j^−7k^ so that the
resultant vector is a unit vector along the y axis?
22) A vector is represented by 3i^+j^+2k^. What is its length in XY plane?
23) question_answer17) Five equal forces of 10 N each are applied at one point and all are lying
in one plane. If the angles between them are equal, the resultant force will be [CBSE PMT
1995]
24) With respect to a rectangular Cartesian coordinate system, three vectors are expressed as a⃗
=4i^−j^, b⃗ =−3i^+2j^ and c⃗ =−k^ where i^, j^, k^ are unit vectors, along the X, Y and Z-axis
respectively. Find the unit vectors r^ along the direction of sum of these vector?
25) What is the component of vector A=2i^+3j^along the vector i^+j^ ?
26) A particle moves from position 3i^+2j^−6k^ to 14i^+13j^+9k^ due to a uniform force of
(4i^+j^+3k^)N. If the displacement in meters then what is the work done?

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