Appendix 1 Vector algebra

A vector in the context of mechanics is defined as a quantity having magnitude and a direction and therefore may be represented by a line segment. A vector V may be written as Ve where V is the scalar magnitude and e is a unit vector in the direction of V. In this book a distinction is made between the always positive modulus 1 VI and the scalar magnitude V which may be positive or negative.

A1-2 Multiplication of vectors

Sca[arproduct

Figure Al.2
The scalar product of two vectors (Fig. A1.2) is defined as A.B= IAI/B/cosa=B.A Hence and therefore i.i=j.j=k.k= 1 i.j=j.k= k.i= 0 A.B
= A,B,+A,B,+A,B,

A.l

Addition of vectors

By definition two vectors are added by the parallelogram law as shown in Fig. A1.l.

(A1.5)

(A1.6)

If one vector is a unit vector e, then

A . e = IAlcosa
(A1.7)

If i , j and k are unit vectors in the x-, y- and z-directions respectively, then
V = V,i+ V y j + V,k
(Al.l)

which is the component of A in the direction of e. The work done by a force F over a displacement ds is dW=F-ds and the power is ds F-- =F-v dt
(A1.9) (A1.8)

where V, , V, and V , are the scalar components of V. By Pythagorass theorem,

IVI

=d(v,z+vyz+v:)
(A,+B,)i+(A,+B,)j +(A,+B,)k =B+A
=

(A1.2)

From Fig. A l . l it is seen that A+B

(A1.3)

Vector product

Since

V = Ve,

e=

V,i+ V y j + V,k d(v,z+vyz+V:)

(A1.4)

= li+mj+ni

where I, m and n are the direction cosines of the unit vector e relative to the x - , y- and z-axes respectively.

The vector product of two vectors (Fig. A1.3) is defined as AXB=/AIIBIsinae=-BXA

(A 1.10)

i
AXB=

i
A, By A, B,

A, B x

(Al.ll)

See Fig. A1.5. By definition

dV _ - limat+o V(t + At) - V ( t ) (A1.19)