Scalars and Vectors

Scalar: Quantity that has only magnitude.

time, distance, temperature, mass, population
Vector: Quantity that ha both magnitude and direction.
Velocity, force, displacement, Electric Field Intensity.

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 Unit Vectors
For a vector A, a unit vector aA along A is defined as:

A
aA 
|A|
a A  vector, its magnitude is unity |a A |=1
and its direction is along A.
| A | magnitude of A (scalar)

 A= | A | aA

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A vector in Cartesian (or Rectangular) coordinates
A=(Ax , Ay , Az) or A=Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az
where: Ax , Ay , Az → Componets of A in the x,y and z directions.
ax , ay , az → Unit Vectors in the x,y and z directions.

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A vector in Cartesian (or Rectangular) coordinates

The magnitude of vector A is given by:

| A | A  A  A
2
x
2
y
2
z

and the unit vector along A is given by:

A Ax a x  Ay a y  Az a z
aA  
|A| Ax  Ay  Az
2 2 2

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 Vector Addition and Subtraction

For two vectors A=(Ax , Ay , Az) and B=(Bx , By , Bz)

Addition: C=A+B
C=(Ax+ Bx ) ax + (Ay+ By ) ay + (Az+ Bz ) az

Vector addition C  A  B: (a) parallelogram rule, (b) head-to-tail rule.

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 Vector Addition and Subtraction
Fir two vectors A=(Ax , Ay , Az) and B=(Bx , By , Bz)
Subtraction: D=A-B=A+(-B)
D=(Ax- Bx ) ax + (Ay- By) ay + (Az- Bz ) az

Vector subtraction D  A - B: (a) parallelogram rule, (b) head-to-tail rule.

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 Laws of Algebra

A+B=B+A, kA=Ak
A+(B+C)=(A+B)+C, k(lA)=(kl)A
k(A+B)=kA+kB

k and l are scalars

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 Position and Distance Vectors
For Point p in Cartesian Coordinates (x,y,z)
Position Vector : rp (or radius vector) of point p is defined as
the directed distance from origin 0 to p.

rP=0P=xax+yay+zaz

Example:
point P(3,4,5) has position
vector rP=3ax+4ay+5az

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 Position and Distance Vectors
The Distance Vector is the displacement from one point to another.
Points → P(xp , yp , zp), Q(xQ , yQ , zQ)

The distance Vector (Separation Vector) : rPQ=rQ-rP

rPQ= (xQ -xp) ax+ (yQ -yp) ay+ (zQ -zp) az

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 Example 1.1
If A=10ax - 4ay +6az , B=2ax + ay , Find
(a) The component of A along ay
(b) The magnitude of 3A-B
(c) A unit Vector along A+2B
(a ) Ay =-4
(b) 3A-B=3(10, -4,6) - (2,1,0)=(30, -12,18) - (2,1,0)
 (28, -13,18)
3A-B  (28) 2  ( -13) 2  (18)2  1277  35.74
(C) Let C=A+2B=(10, -4,6)  2(2,1,0)  (14, -2,6)
C (14, -2,6)
a unit vector along C is a c = 
C (14)2  ( -2) 2  (6) 2
a c =0.9113a x - 0.1302a y  0.3906a z Note: a c  1 14
 Example 1.2
Points P and Q are located at (0,2,4) and (-3,1,5). Calculate:
(a) The position vector rP
(b) The distance vector from P to Q.
(c) The distance between P and Q.
(d) A vector Parallel to PQ with magnitude of 10.

(a ) rP  0a x  2a y  4a z  2a y  4a z
(b) rPQ  rQ - rP  ( -3,1,5) - (0, 2, 4)  ( -3, -1,1)
or rPQ  -3a x - a y  a z

 -3   -1  1  3.317

2 2 2
(c) d = rPQ 

x - xP    yQ - y P    zQ - zP   3.317
2 2 2
Alternatively: d= Q
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 Example 1.2 - continued
(d ) Find a vector parallel to PQ with magnitude of 10
Let A be the required vector
A= A a A , but A  10
Since A is parallel to PQ, it has the same unit vector
rPQ ( -3, -1,1)
aA   
rPQ 3.317
10( -3, -1,1)
 A=   ( -9.045a x - 3.015a y  3.015a z )
3.317

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 Vector Multiplication
When two vectors A and B are multiplied, the result is either a
scalar or a vector.

(1) Scalar (or dot) product: AB

(2) Vector (or cross) product: A  B

Three Vectors A,B,C:

(3) Scalar triple product: A  (B  C)
(4) Vector triple product: A  (B  C)

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 Dot Product A∙B
The product of the magnitudes of A and B and the
cosine of the angle between them.

A  B  A B cos  AB
 AB  the smaller angle between A and B.

If A=(Ax ,Ay ,Az ), B=(Bx ,By ,Bz ), then

A  B  Ax Bx  Ay B y  Az Bz

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 Dot Product A∙B
A and B are orthognal (or perpendicular) if
AB  0
Notes:
 A  B  B A
 A  (B+C)  A  B  A  C
 A  A  A , (cos 0 = 1)
2

also a x  a y =a y  a z =a z  a x =0
a x  a x =a y  a y =a z  a z =1
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 Cross Product AxB
A vector quantity whose magnitude is the area of
parallelogram formed by A and B, and its direction
is perpendicular to the plane containing A and B.

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 Cross Product AxB
A×B  A B sin  AB a n
Where
an→unit vector normal to plane
containing A and B, and its direction
is found by (right-hand rule), that is
the direction of the right thumb when
the fingers of the right hand rotate
from A to B.

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 Cross Product AxB
For A=(Ax ,Ay ,Az ), B=(Bx ,By ,Bz ), then
ax ay az
A×B  Ax Ay Az
Bx By Bz
=  Ay Bz - Az B y  a x
  Az Bx - Ax Bz  a y
  Ax B y - Ay Bx  a z

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 Cross Product AxB
Notes :  A  B  B  A, A  B  -B  A
 A  (B  C)  (A  B)  C
 A  (B  C)  A  B  A  C
 AA  0
also ax  a y  az
a y az  ax
az ax  a y

Moving clockwise  positive results

Moving counter-clockwise  negative results
a y  a x  -a z , a x  a z  -a y , a z  a y  -a x 23
 Scalar Triple Product
For vectors A, B and C:
A   B×C   B   C×A   C   A×B 
Volume of parallelpiped having A,B and C as edges.
Volume=  A×B   C= A×B C cos 

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 Scalar Triple Product
For vectors A, B and C:

If A=(Ax ,Ay ,Az ), B=(Bx ,By ,Bz ), and C=(Cx ,C y ,C z ),

Ax Ay Az
then A   B×C   Bx By Bz  Scalar
Cx Cy Cz

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 Vector Triple Product
For vectors A, B and C:
A   B×C   B  A  C  - C  A  B 
"bac - cab" rule
Notes :
 A  B C  A  B  C 
but
 A  B C  C  A  B

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 Components of a vector
Given a vector A, a scalar component AB of A along B is :
(projection)
AB  A  aB  A aB cos  AB

The vector component A B of A along B is,

A B   A  aB  aB

Components of A along B: (a) scalar component AB, (b) vector component AB .

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 Example 1.4
A=3ax + 4ay +az ,
B=2ay - 5az ,
Find the angle between A and B.

AB
A  B  A B cos  AB  cos  AB 
A B
A  B   3, 4,1   0, 2, -5   0  8 - 5  3
A  32  42  12  26
B  02  22  (-5) 2  29
AB 3
cos  AB    0.1092
A B (26)(29)
 AB  cos -1 (0.1092)  83.73o
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 Example 1.4 - Continued
Alternatively
AB
A  B  A B sin  AB a n  sin  AB 
A B
ax ay az
A  B= 3 4 1   -20 - 2  ax   0  15  a y   6 - 0  az
0 2 -5
 A  B   -22,15, 6 
A  B  (-22) 2  (15) 2  (6) 2  745
AB 745
sin  AB    0.994
A B (26)(29)
 AB  sin -1 0.994  83.73o
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 Example 1.5
Three field quantities are given by

P=2ax - az , Q=2ax - ay +2 az , R=2ax - 3ay + az

Determine:
(a) (P+Q) x (P-Q)

(b) Q . R x P

(c) P . (Q x R)
(d) sin θQR
(e) P x (Q x R)
(f) A unit vector perpendicular to both Q and R.
(g) The component of P along Q.
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 Example 1.5 - Continued
P=2ax - az , Q=2ax - ay +2 az , R=2ax - 3ay + az
(a) (P + Q)  (P - Q)
=P  (P - Q)  Q  (P - Q)
=P  P - P  Q  Q  P - Q  Q
= 0 - PQ  QP - 0
ax ay az
=2  Q  P   2 2 -1 2  2ax  12a y  4az
2 0 -1
(b) Q  R  P  what makes sense is Q  (R  P)
ax ay az
Q  (R  P)  (2, -1, 2)  2 -3 1  (2, -1, 2)  (3, 4, 6)  6 - 4  12  14
2 0 -1 31
 Example 1.5 - Continued
P=2ax - az , Q=2ax - ay +2 az , R=2ax - 3ay + az
(b) Alternatively Q  (R  P) (scalar triple product)
2 -1 2
Q  (R  P)  2 -3 1  2(3)  (1)(-2 - 2)  2(6)  14
2 0 -1

(c) P  (Q  R)
=Q  (R  P)=14
ax ay az
Alternatively, P  (Q  R)  (2, 0, -1)  2 -1 2
2 -3 1
 (2, 0, -1)  (5, 2, -4)  10  0  4  14
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 Example 1.5 - Continued
P=2ax - az , Q=2ax - ay +2 az , R=2ax - 3ay + az
QR  5, 2, -4  45
(d ) sin QR = = = =0.5976
Q R  2, -1, 2   2, -3,1 (3)( 14)
(e) P   Q  R  =  2, 0, -1   5, 2, -4   (2,3, 4)
Alternatively  bac-cab rule:  A  (B  C)  B(A  C) - C(A  B) 
P   Q  R  =Q(P.R) - R(P.Q)
 (2, -1, 2)(4  0 - 1) - (2, -3,1)(4  0 - 2)
 (6, -3, 6) - (4, -6, 2)  (2,3, 4)

( f ) a unit vector perpendicular to both Q and R

Q  R   5, 2, -4 
a=     0.745, 0.298, -0.596 
QR 45 33
 Example 1.5 - Continued
P=2ax - az , Q=2ax - ay +2 az , R=2ax - 3ay + az
( g ) The component of P along Q
Q (2, -1, 2)  2 -1 2 
PQ   P  aQ  aQ , aQ    , , 
Q 9 3 3 3
 2 -1 2  4 2 2
P.aQ   2, 0, -1   , ,    0 - 
3 3 3 3 3 3
2  2 -1 2 
PQ   P  aQ  aQ   , , 
33 3 3
=0.4444a x - 0.2222a y  0.444a y

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 Example 1.7
Show that points P1(5,2,-4), P2(1,1,2), P3(-3,0,8) all lie on a
straight line.

Distance Vector rp1p2 =rp2 - rp1 = 1,1, 2  -  5, 2, -4  =  -4, -1, 6 

Distance Vector rp1p3 =rp3 - rp1 =  -3, 0,8  -  5, 2, -4  =  -8, -2,12 
ax ay az
rp1p2  rp1p3  -4 -1 6 =  0, 0, 0 
-8 -2 12
 shows that the angle between rp1p2 and rp1p3 is zero (sin  =0)
 P1 , P2 , and P3 lie on a straight line.

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