LECTURE 1

INTRODUCTION TO VECTOR ANALYSIS

1.01 SCALAR Any quantity specified by a single number or value. Examples of scalars are time, mass, distance, speed, energy, work, and potential difference. 1.02 VECTOR Any quantity specified by a magnitude and a direction. A vector can be represented by two or more scalars. Examples of vectors are displacement, velocity, force, momentum, and field intensity. 1.03 NOTATIONS USED IN THIS BOOK There are many accepted notations in writing scalars and vectors. Aside from the arrow written on top, each character representing a vector is written in Boldface type to add emphasis. This book will use the following notations: Scalars: k , K , m, M r Vectors: A, CD Unit vectors: a A , a CD , (a x , a y , a z ), (a , a , a z ), (a r , a , a )

1.04 WRITING SCALARS AND VECTORS BY LONGHAND By longhand it is easier to write vectors by Plain type (not Boldface type) characters. Scalars: k , K , m, M r Vectors: A, CD Unit vectors: a A , aCD , (a x , a y , a z ), (a , a , a z ), (ar , a , a )

1.05 RECTANGULAR COORDINATES Also called the Cartesian coordinate system, it is the most commonly use coordinate system to represent vectors in three-dimensions. Rectangular coordinate system defines a point or a vector using three mutually perpendicular number lines, namely the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis. It is base on the geometry of a parallelepiped wherein the origin is located on one corner and the axes are the edges of the parallelepiped.

Fig. 1.1 Point and unit vectors in rectangular coordinate system 1.06 VECTOR IN RECTANGULAR COORDINATES

Fig. 1.2 Vector in rectangular coordinate system as a sum of components In component form,

r A = Ax a x + Ay a y + Az a z
r where: Ax , Ay , Az = components of A in the x, y, z directions respectively a x , a y , a z = unit vectors in the x, y, z directions respectively

1.07 MAGNITUDE OF A VECTOR The length of a vector. The distance from the tip to the tail of the arrow representing the vector. It is also called the Euclidean norm.

r 2 A = A = Ax2 + Ay + Az2
Fig. 1.3 Magnitude of a vector

r Example 1.01 Find the magnitude of vectors A = 4a x + 5a y + 6a z and r B = 3a x + 4a y + 2a z .

Solution:

A = 4 2 + 5 2 + 6 2 = 8.775

B = (3) 2 + 4 2 + 2 2 = 5.385

r 1.08 UNIT VECTOR IN THE DIRECTION OF A r Vector of unit length pointing in the direction of A
r A aA = A r Fig. 1.4 Unit vector in the direction of A
Example 1.02 Find the unit vector in the direction of r r a) A = 4a x + 5a y + 6a z , and b) B = 3a x + 4a y + 2a z Solution: a)

r A 4a x + 5a y + 6a z aA = = A 8.775 a A = 0.456a x + 0.570a y + 0.689a z r B = 3a x + 4a y + 2a z aB = = B 5.385 a B = 0.557a x + 0.743a y + 0.371a z

b)

1.09 POSITION VECTOR Directed distance from the origin to point P( xP , yP , z P ) .

r r R P = R OP = xPa x + yPa y + z Pa z

Fig. 1.5 Position vector Example 1.03 Find the vector extending from a) the origin to point P(6,1,8) , b) the origin to point Q(2,9,4) . Solution: r r R P = R OP = 6a x + a y + 8a z r r R Q = R OQ = 2a x + 9a y 4a z

1.10 DISTANCE VECTOR Directed distance from the point P( xP , yP , z P ) to point Q( xQ , yQ , zQ ) .

Fig. 1.6 Distance vector

r R PQ = ( xQ xP )a x + ( yQ yP )a y + ( zQ z P )a z
In terms of position vectors,

r r r R PQ = R P R Q

Example 1.04 Find the vector extending from P(6,1,8) to Q(2,9,4) . Solution: r R PQ = (2 + 6)a x + (9 1)a y + (4 8)a z r R PQ = 8a x + 8a y 12a z

1.11 NULL VECTOR Also called zero vector, is a vector with zero length. Null vector has no specific direction and unit vector. In rectangular coordinate system, r 0 = (0)a x + (0)a y + (0)a z .

1.12 PROBLEMS: 1) Identify the following quantities as scalar or vectors. a. volume b. acceleration c. torque d. density e. angular velocity 2) Elevation is a scalar quantity, how do cartographers normally draw a map representing the different elevations on the surface of the Earth? Aside from geography, cite other examples utilizing the same technique. 3) The average radius of the Earth is 6,371 km. If the center of the Earth is at the origin, the z axis passes through the North Pole, and the

x axis passes through intersection of the Prime Meridian and the

Equator, find:

a. the position vector

at point A( x A , y A , z A ) , 100 m above the

surface of the Earth at the intersection of the Prime Meridian and the Equator (The point is above the Atlantic Ocean). b. the position vector at point B( x B , y B , z B ) , 5 km below the surface of the Earth at the South Pole. c. the distance vector from point B( x B , y B , z B ) to point A( x A , y A , z A ) . 1.13 PROBLEMS: 1) Determine the position vectors of each of the following points: a) A(1,4,5) , b) B(3,4,5) , c) C (2,2,0) , d) D(4,1,0) 2) Determine the length and unit vector in the direction of each of the position vectors in (1).

r r r r 3) Specify the distance vectors a) R AB , b) R CB , c) R CD , d) R DA .

4) Find the perimeter of the quadrilateral ABCD . 5) Specify the position vector of the midpoint of line BC . Find the perimeter of the triangle OMC . 1.14 SUPPLEMENTARY PROBLEMS: 1) Determine the length and unit vector in the direction of each of the r r r vectors a) J = 6a x + a y + 8a z b) K = 4a y + 2a z c) L = 3a x + 5a y . r r r r 2) Specify the position and distance vectors a) R P , b) R Q , c) R PQ , d) R QP if P(3,8,4) and Q(8,0,1) . 3) Find the length of each of the vector in (2). 4) What is the perimeter of the triangle OPQ ? 5) Determine the position vector at the midpoint M of the line PQ .