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nt 1
Applied Physics
Direction Cosine
Definition
The direction (or directional) cosines of a vector are defined as
cosines of the angles that the vector makes from the coordinate
axes. They explain the direction of a vector along each axis.
The number of direction cosines is equal to the total number of
dimensions in the system.
Formula
Let a vector r in 3D be given by:
r =xi+ yj+ zk
cos =
x
x
= 2 2 2
|r| x + y + z
cos =
cos =
y
y
= 2 2 2
|r| x + y + z
z
z
= 2 2 2
|r| x + y + z
^
^
= x i + y j in two
A .
^
=x i +
^
^
y j + z j in three dimensional coordinate systems then, x, y
A .
Example
^
^
^
Compute the direction cosines of a vector i + 2 j -3 k .
Also, prove that the sum of their squares is unit?
Solution:
Let
V =
^
^
+ 2 j -3 k
i^
| V
|=
x2 + y 2 + z 2
1 +2 +(3 )
2
= 1+ 4+9
= 14
Direction cosine are given by:
x
cos = |
V|
cos =
1
14
cos = |
V|
cos =
2
14
cos =
|
V|
cos =
3
14
, 14
, 14
= ( 14
1
= 14
14
= 14
=1
)2 + ( 14
4
+ 14 + 14
)2 + (, 14 )2