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1 - Vector Analysis

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15 views15 pages

1 - Vector Analysis

Uploaded by

tuong.nguyenalice
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Chapter 01- VECTOR ANALYSIS

1.1 SCALARS AND VECTORS:

Scalar refers to a quantity whose value may be represented by a


single (positive or negative) real number.

A vector quantity has both a magnitude and a direction in space.

A field (scalar or vector) may be defined as the mathematical


specification, in terms of position and time, of a physical
quantity in a given region
1.2 THE CARTESIAN COORDINATE SYSTEM

• In order to describe a vector accurately, some specific


lengths, directions, angles, projections, or components
must be given.

• We are going to use the Cartesian,


or rectangular coordinate system
to do this
FIGURE 1.2
(a) A right-handed Cartesian coordinate system. If the curved fingers of the right hand indicate the direction through
which the x axis is turned into coincidence with the y axis, the thumb shows the direction of the z axis. (b) The
location of points P (1; 2; 3) and Q (2; -2; 1) (c) The differential volume element in Cartesian coordinates; dx, dy, and
dz are, in general, independent differentials.
1.3 UNIT VECTORS AND VECTOR COMPONENTS

a unit vector in the direction of the vector P is

P
aˆ P 
|P|

P  Px xˆ  Py yˆ  Pz zˆ
 (Px , Py , Pz )

| P | Px2  Py2  Pz2


1.4 POSITION VECTORS, AND DISTANCE VECTORS

The desired vector from P(1; 2; 3) to Q (2, -2,1) is

rPQ  rQ  rP  (2-1)xˆ + (-2-2)yˆ + (1-3)zˆ


= 1xˆ - 4yˆ - 2zˆ = (1,-4,-2)
1.5 THE VECTOR FIELD

We have already defined a vector field as a vector function of a position vector


(and time).

In general, the magnitude and direction of the function will change as we move
throughout the region, and the value of the vector function must be determined
using the coordinate values of the point in question.

Since we have considered only the Cartesian coordinate system, we should


expect the vector to be a function of the variables x; y, and z:

If we again represent the position vector as r, then a vector field G can be


expressed in functional notation as G (r ), a scalar field T is written as T (r )
1.6 VECTOR ALGEBRA

FIGURE 1.1
Two vectors may be added graphically either by drawing both vectors from a common origin and
completing the parallelogram or by beginning the second vector from the head of the first and completing the
triangle; either method is easily extended to three or more vectors.
1.7 THE DOT PRODUCT (scalar product)
1.8 THE CROSS PRODUCT
.

1.9 OTHER COORDINATE SYSTEMS:


CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES

FIGURE 1.7
The relationship between the cartesian variables x;
y; z and the cylindrical coordinate variables

FIGURE 1.6
(a) The three mutually perpendicular surfaces of the circular cylindrical coordinate system. (b) The
three unit vectors of the circular cylindrical coordinate system. (c) The differential volume unit in
the circular cylindrical coordinate system; d, d‑, and dz are all elements of length.
Transforming vectors from cartesian to
cylindrical coordinates or vice versa is
therefore accomplished by using (10)
or (11) to change variables, and by
using the dot products of the unit
vectors given in Table 1.1 to change
components.
The two steps may be taken in either
order.
1.10 THE SPHERICAL COORDINATE SYSTEM

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