MTH2101: Chapter 1

Vectors

VECTORS: Introduction
Vector and scalar quantities
Scalar quantities are those that only posses size(magnitude) where as vector quantities are characterized by both size and magnitude.
Scalar quantities include: time, temperature, volume, distance and speed. Vector quantities include: force, displacement, velocity, momentum and acceleration .

Notation and representation

Vector quantities are represented in bold letters to distinguish them from their scalar counterparts. 1 Vectors can be represented in two forms namely: the coulmn vector notation 2 and the 3 direction vector notation (1 + 1 + 1 ) where , , are the unit vectors in the x, y and z directions in a three Dimensional (3-D) Cartesian coordinate system

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VECTORS: Introduction
Position and displacement vectors
Position vectors: are used to describe the location of a point with respect to a reference point (normally the origin). If a point A has coordinates 1 , 2 , 3 expressed as A 1 , 2 , 3 then its position vector OA can be written as 1 3 OA = or = 1 + 1 + 1 . 3
Displacement vectors describe the movement from one general point to another. If A 1 , 2 , 3 and B 1 , 2 , 3 the displacement vector AB is given as OB-OA. Which is given as 1 1 2 AB = 2 or = 1 + 2 + 3 1 + 2 + 3 3 3 = 1 1 + 2 2 + 3 3

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VECTOR DEFINITIONS
Vector characteristics
A vector is defined by both magnitude and direction Suppose that vector = 1 + 2 + 3 . The magnitude of , = 1

+ 2

+ 3

The direction of is specified by the unit vector =

Therefore =

1 +2 +3 . 1
+

the same direction as A.

has unit magnitude in

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VECTOR ALGEBRA
Vector Algebra
Addition and subtraction: The sum of two vectors is obtained by summing the corresponding components of the two vectors . Let us Suppose that = 1 + 2 + 3 = + 2 + 3 is given as + = 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 3 And the difference is given as = 1 1 + 2 2 + 3 3 Multiplication:
1) Vector by a scalar

If is a scalar, then = 1 + 2 + 3 = 1 + 2 + 3 . The product of this kind of multiplication is a vector quantity in the same direction as A Two parallel vectors are related by a scalar. If and are parallel vectors then we can write that = , being a scalar
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VECTOR ALGEBRA
Multiplication:

2) Vector by a vector
Two vectors can be multiplied in two ways. One in which the product is a scalar quantity known as the scalar/dot/inner product and the other in which the product is a vector quantity known as the vector/cross product.
a) Scalar/dot/inner product

The dot product of two vectors and is given as . = where is the angle between the two vectors and . Note that if two vectors are orthogonal/normal/perpendicular to each other, then the dot product vanishes i.e. If = 90 , then . = , and similarly if . = then and are orthogonal vectors.
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VECTOR ALGEBRA
Consider the special case when =
. = =

+ 2

+ 3

Or that = . = 1 + 2 + 3 Let is consider the unit vectors , which are all mutually ortogonal to each other. We can see that . = . = . = 1 and that . = . = . = 0. Some properties i. . = . commutative law ii. . = . = . = . , is a scalar iii. . + = . + . Distributive law We can the see that . = + + . + + = + + Hence . = = 1 1 + 2 2 + 3 3
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VECTOR ALGEBRA
Consider the special case when =
. = =

+ 2

+ 3

Or that = . = 1 + 2 + 3 Let is consider the unit vectors , which are all mutually ortogonal to each other. We can see that . = . = . = 1 and that . = . = . = 0. Some properties i. . = . commutative law ii. . = . = . = . , is a scalar iii. . + = . + . Distributive law We can the see that . = + + . + + = + + Hence . = = 1 1 + 2 2 + 3 3
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VECTOR ALGEBRA
Which gives that

=
= cos

1 1 +2 2 +3 3

1 1 +2 2 +3 3 1 + 2 + 3 1 + 2 + 3

1 1 + 2 2 + 3 3

1 + 2 + 3 1 + 2 + 3 Note that the angle between the two vectors will be acute if the scalar product is positive and obtuse if the scalar product is negative. Components of a vector The component of a vector can be obtained by using the dot product of the vector and the unit vector in the direction of interest. Suppose we wish to obtain the scalar component of along the direction. This can be obtained as . = 1 + 2 + 3 . = 1
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VECTOR ALGEBRA
The vector component along the direction of is thus obtained as . = 1 . Components of a vector Similarly the scalar component of in the direction of (or the component of along ) can be obtained as. This can be obtained as
. = 1 + 2 + 3 . 1 + 2 + 3 1

+ 2

+ 3

1 1 + 2 2 + 3 3 1

+ 2

+ 3

The vector component along the direction of is thus obtained as 1 1 + 2 2 + 3 3 1 + 2 + 3 . = 1 + 2 + 3 1 + 2 + 3

. 2

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VECTOR ALGEBRA
Multiplication: 2) Vector by a vector b) Vector /cross product The cross product of two vectors and is given as = where is the angle between the two vectors and , and is the a unit vector in a direction orthogonal to the plane containing both and . Therefore is orthogonal to both and . Note that if two vectors are parallel to each other, then the vector product vanishes i.e. If = 0, then = , and similarly if = then and are parallel vectors. This implies that = = = 0. To determine , and we have to use the right hand screw rule to determine the direction and we obtain that = , = , = . We also note that = , = , and = .
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VECTOR ALGEBRA
Multiplication: The cross product can be obtained by finding the determinant of the 3 by 3 matrix as follows = 1 2 3 = 2 3 1 3 + 1 2 2 3 1 3 1 2 1 2 3 = 2 3 3 2 1 3 3 1 + 1 2 2 1

The vector is perpendicular to both and . Properties

i. ii. iii.

commutative law fails. = . = = = + = +

The area of a parallelogram with sides and is given as

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VECTOR ALGEBRA
Scalar Triple product
The scalar triple product . = . = . an be obtained by finding the determinant of the 3 by 3 matrix as follows
1 2 3 = 1 2 3 = 1 2 3 2 1 3 + 3 1 2 2 3 1 3 1 2 1 2 3 = 2 3 3 2 1 1 3 3 1 2 + 1 2 2 1 3 This product corresponds to the volume of parallelepiped with sides , and .

Vector Triple product

The vector triple product is given as = . .

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