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Lecture5 Handout

The document discusses vector representations of planes, intersections of planes, minimum distances from points to planes, intersections of lines and planes, intersections of three planes, and vector representations of spheres. Key concepts covered include using normal vectors to represent planes, finding intersections and distances, and representing spheres with position vectors and radii.

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Rowan Root
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22 views

Lecture5 Handout

The document discusses vector representations of planes, intersections of planes, minimum distances from points to planes, intersections of lines and planes, intersections of three planes, and vector representations of spheres. Key concepts covered include using normal vectors to represent planes, finding intersections and distances, and representing spheres with position vectors and radii.

Uploaded by

Rowan Root
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 11

LECTURE 5:

VECTOR GEOMETRY :
REPRESENTATION OF PLANES
Prof. N. Harnew
University of Oxford
MT 2012

1
Outline: 5. MORE ON VECTOR GEOMETRY

5.1 Vector representation of planes


5.1.1 Plane from vector to Cartesian form
5.1.2 From components back to vector form

5.2 Two intersecting planes

5.3 Minimum distance from a point to a plane


5.3.1 Example

5.4 Intersection of a line with a plane

5.5 Intersection of three planes

5.6 Vector representation of a sphere

2
5.1 Vector representation of planes
I Vector a is any position vector
to the plane. Vectors b and c
are any vectors in the plane
(but not parallel to each
other). r is a position vector
to a general point on the
plane.

I The equation of the plane can then be written by:


r = a + λb + µc
where λ and µ take all values to give all positions on the plane.
I Conversely, it should be obvious that a vector equation for the
plane can be more simply written:

(r − a).n̂ = 0

b×c
where n̂ (= |b×c| ) is the unit vector perpendicular to the plane.
3
5.1.1 Plane from vector to Cartesian form
I (r − a).n̂ = 0 gives r.n̂ = a.n̂
I Note that
d = a cos θ = a.n̂ is the
perpendicular distance of
the plane to the origin.
I Also we write
n̂ = li + mj + nk.
where (l, m, n) are defined
as the direction cosines of
the normal to the plane.
I Finally we write the general vector r as (x, y, z)
I This gives the plane in Cartesian representation as
r.n̂ = lx + my + nz = d

4
5.1.2 From components back to vector form

I If a plane is represented by the coordinate equation


nx x + ny y + nz z = λ (here nx , ny , nz , λ are any values)
Then a normal vector to the plane is simply
n = (nx , ny , nz ).

Example
I Coordinate equation 5x + 3y + z = 6 :
the normal vector to the plane is (5, 3, 1) and
(5,3,1) √
n̂ = √(25+9+1) = (5, 3, 1)/ 35.
√
I So vector equation of plane is r.n̂ = d where d = 6/ 35
is the perpendicular distance.

5
5.2 Two intersecting planes

I The angle φ between the planes is the angle between the


two normal vectors of the planes:
cos φ = nˆ1 .nˆ2

I The planes are


parallel if cos φ = 1

I The direction of the line of intersection of the two planes:

b̂Line of intersection = nˆ1 × nˆ2


i.e. parallel to both planes and perpendicular to both
normals.

6
5.3 Minimum distance from a point to a plane
I Find the minimum distance, d, from point P with position
vector p, to the plane defined by (r − a).n̂ = 0

I Consider vector (p − a)
which is a vector from
the plane to the point P

I The component of (p − a) normal to the plane is equal to


the minimum distance of P to the plane.
i.e. d = (p − a) . n̂

(sign depends on which side of plane the point is situated).


7
Example
I Three points lie on a plane: (2, 1, 2), (−1, −1, −1) and (4, 1, 2).
Find the shortest distance of this plane from the point (1, 1, 1).
Solution:
I p = (1, 1, 1), a = (2, 1, 2), (p − a) = (−1, 0, −1)
I Construct two lines in the plane:
b = (2, 1, 2) − (−1, −1, −1) = (3, 2, 3)
c = (2, 1, 2) − (4, 1, 2) = (−2, 0, 0)
I A normal to the plane is:
i j k
n=b×c= 3 2 3 (1)
−2 0 0
√
giving n = (0, −3 × 2, 2 × 2) , n̂ = (0, −6, 4)/ (62 + 42 )
√
I Therefore d = (p − a) . n̂ = (−1, 0, −1) . (0, −6, 4)/ (52)
√ √
d = −4/ (52) ; |d| = 4/ (52)
(the minus sign specifies which side of the plane P is located).
8
5.4 Intersection of a line with a plane
I Example: A line is given by r = a + λb where a = i + 2j + 3k
and b = 4i + 5j + 6k. Find the coordinates of the point at
which the line intersects the plane 2x + y + 3z = 6.

I A normal vector to the plane is n = (2, 1, 3).


I First check that the line and plane are not
parallel (i.e. b and n are not at 90◦ ):
b . n = (4, 5, 6) . (2, 1, 3) =
8 + 5 + 18 = 31 6= 0
I Therefore the line crosses the plane.

I To get the intersection point, substitute r = a + λb into equation of plane


⇒ (x, y, z) = (ax + λbx , ay + λby , az + λbz ) into 2x + y + 3z = 6.
⇒ 2 × (1 + 4λ) + (2 + 5λ) + 3 × (3 + 6λ) = 6
⇒ 13 + 31λ = 6 ⇒ λ = −7/31.
I Substituting λ into the equation of the line
x = 1 − (7/31) × 4 = (3/31)
y = 2 − (7/31) × 5 = (27/31)
z = 3 − (7/31) × 6 = (51/31)
9
5.5 Intersection of three planes
I Three planes intersect at a single point provided any two are not
parallel ( nˆ1 × nˆ2 6= 0 , nˆ1 × nˆ3 6= 0 , nˆ2 × nˆ3 6= 0)
AND provided that any one of the planes is not parallel to the
line of intersection of the other two (bottom figure).

I The sufficient condition for


intersection is that the scalar triple
product nˆ1 .(nˆ2 × nˆ3 ) 6= 0.
I Assuming a single solution, to get
the point of intersection (x, y, z),
easiest just to solve the equations:

l1 x + m1 y + n1 z = d1
l2 x + m2 y + n2 z = d2
l3 x + m3 y + n3 z = d3

10
5.6 Vector representation of a sphere
|r − c|2 = a2
alternatively
r 2 − 2r · c + c 2 = a2
I c is the position vector to the
centre of the sphere
I a = |a| is the sphere radius (scalar)

I The two points that are the intersection of the sphere with a line
r = p + λq are given by solving the quadratic for λ :
(p + λq − c) · (p + λq − c) = a2
I The radius ρ of the circle that is the intersection of the sphere
with a plane n̂ · r = d is given by
q
2
ρ = a2 − (d − c · n̂)
(See Riley, Hobson & Bence for proof.)
11

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