Summary of Vector Properties

James R. Clynch February 2006 Basics Quantities - Scalars and Vectors There are quantities, such as velocity, that have both magnitude and direction. These are vectors. A quantity with only magnitude is a scalar. It can be positive or negative. Nomenclature

A, B, C, D
A

will be vectors is the magnitude or length of the vector A . It is a positive scalar. will be a set of orthogonal unit vectors along the x,y,z axes (Some authors use i,j,k for these unit vectors.) are scalars that are the components of the vector A is a scalar

e x ,e y , e z
Ax,Ay,Az s Component Notations

A = A xex + A yey + A zez = (A x , A y , A z )

Components can be thought of as projections (inner products) on the basis vectors. Ax = A e x = e x A Ay = A e y = e y A Az = A e z = e z A Scalar Multiplication s A = s (A x , A y , A z ) = (sA x , sA y , sA z )
s (A + B) = s A + s B = Addition A+B = = B+A (A x + B x , A y + B y , A z + B z ) (sA x + sB x , sA y + sB y , sA z + sB z )

Dot Product or Inner Product The Dot product of A and B , denoted as A B , is a scalar.

AB =

A B cos

= A x Bx + A y By + A z Bz Where is the angle between A and B . (Either angle can be used.)

AB = BA A ( B + C ) = A B + A C = ( B + C) A s(A B) = (sA) B = A (sB)

Magnitude or Length

= =

AA A2 + A2 + A2 x y z

Cross Product or Outer Product

D = A B is a vector (pseudo-vector). It is perpendicular to both A and B

which implies that: D = A B sin The direction of D is perpendicular to A and B , in the direction of a right hand screw advance when A is rotated into B . (Right hand rule.) The cross product is not commutative,

0 = DA = DB

A B = B A
D = AB = ( A y Bz A z By , A y Bz A z By , A y Bz A z B y ) Note the cyclic nature of the multiplications in component notation.

Formally, manipulating symbols, we can represent the cross product as a determinate. D = AB ex = det A x Bx ey Ay By ez Az Bz

Orthogonal Unit (Orthonormal) Vectors From the properties of the inner product one has: ex ex ex ey = ey ey = ex ez = ez ez = ey ez = 1 = 0

The cross products are:

ex e y e y ez ez ex

= ez = ex = ey

= ( e y ex ) = ( ez e y ) = ( ex ez )

The magnitude of unit vectors cross products are:

ex ey ex ex

= =

ey ez ey ey

= =

ez ex ez ez

= 1 = 0

Vectors and Pseudovectors If you invert all three axis of the coordinate system you change from a right handed system to a left handed system. In this case a vector stays the same, although its component are the negative of the previous values. (The components times the unit vectors are invariant.) A pseudovector will change sign under this operation. In this sense, a cross product is a pseudovector. In most physics and engineering this distinction has no significance.