Vector triple products

The product of three vectors can be a scalar or vector,

 
 Ax Ay Az 
~ · (B
~ × C)
~ =  Bx By Bz  = ǫlmn Al Bm Cn
 
scalar triple product A   (8)
 Cx Cy Cz 
~ × (B
vector triple product A ~ × C)
~ = B ~ (A
~ · C)
~ −C
~ (A
~ · B)
~ (9)

Vector transformation
~ transforms as
Under rotation about z-axis, vector A
 ′    
Ax cos θ sin θ 0 Ax
 A′y  =  − sin θ cos θ 0   Ay  ⇒ A′m = Rmn An . (10)
A′z 0 0 1 Az

The R is called rotation matrix. For a general rotation by an angle θ about an vector (axis)
Ox î + Oy ĵ + Oz k̂, normalized so that Ox2 + Oy2 + Oz2 = 1, rotation matrix R is given as,

Ox2 + (1 − Ox2 ) c
 
Ox Oy (1 − c) − Oz s Ox Oz (1 − c) + Oy s
R =  Ox Oy (1 − c) + Oz s Oy2 + (1 − Oy2 ) c Oy Oz (1 − c) − Ox s  (11)
Ox Oz (1 − c) − Oy s Oy Oz (1 − c) + Ox s Oz2 + (1 − Oz2 ) c

where c = cos θ and s = sin θ.

Scalar and vector fields

Scalar field: If to each point (x, y, z) of a region R in space there corresponds a number
or scalar φ(x, y, z), then the φ is called scalar function or scalar field.
Examples: Temperature map on earth’s surface at a certain time, potential difference,
√
function like φ(x, y, z) = x3 y − z etc.

Vector field: If to each point (x, y, z) of a region R in space there corresponds a vector
~ (x, y, z), then V
V ~ is called vector function or vector field.
~ (x, y, z) = îxy 2 +
Examples: Velocity of a flowing river at various points, electric field, V
ĵ2yz 3 + k̂x2 z etc.

Example 2. If A ~ = 2î − 3ĵ + 4k, B~ = î + 2ĵ − k̂ and C~ = 3î − ĵ + 2k̂, find (a) volume of
parallelopiped whose edges are A,~ B,
~ C,
~ (b) A ~ × (B ~ × C).
~
~ (x, y), (a) xî + y ĵ, (b) ĵ, (c) xĵ,(d)
Example 3. Draw schematic diagrams of the vector fields V
y î − xĵ.
~ = 3î + ĵ − 3k̂ through an angle 30o about z-axis and verify that
Example 4. Rotate vector A
~ and the new vector is indeed 30o .
the angle between A

1
Gradient, Divergence & Curl
Rules of total and partial differentiation, and the conditions for their existance, are similar
to the scalar functions. For instance,
d ~ ~ =A
~× ~
dB ~
dA ~
1. du (A × B) du + du ×B
d ~ ~ × C)
~ =A
~ ·B
~× ~
dC ~· ~
dB ~+ ~
dA ~ ×C
~
2. du (A ·B du +A du ×C du ·B
∂ ~ ~ = ~
∂A ~ +A
~· ∂
3. ∂v (A · B) ∂v ·B ∂v

~ × B)
4. d(A ~ =A
~ × dB
~ + dA
~×B
~

Vector differential operator, del is defined by,

~ ≡ ∇ ≡ î ∂ + ĵ ∂ + k̂ ∂
∇ (12)
∂x ∂y ∂z
∇ possesses properties analogous to those of ordinary vectors, only difference being it is an
operator and by alone carries no meaning. It can operate on scalar and vector functions,
~ (x, y, z) respectively, in three possible ways – gradient ∇φ, divergence ∇ · V
φ(x, y, z) and V ~
and curl ∇ × V ~.

Gradient: If φ(x, y, z) be defined and differentiable at each point (x, y, z) in a certain

region of space R (i.e. φ is differentiable scalar field) then,
∂φ ∂φ ∂φ
∇φ = î + ĵ + k̂ (13)
∂x ∂y ∂z
dφ = ∇φ · d~r = |∇φ||d~r| cos θ

⇒ dφ is greatest when θ = 0 i.e. dφ is greatest along ∇φ.

⇒ ∇φ points in the direction of maximum change of φ. The |∇φ| gives slope (rate of
increase) along this maximal direction.

⇒ ∇φ = 0 implies stationary point (summit or valley or saddle or pass or shoulder) just

like df /dx = 0 means extrema or inflection and φ is called solenoidal.

⇒ ∇φ is a vector perpendicular to the surface φ(x, y, z) = const.

~ (x, y, z) is differentiable vector field then,

Divergence: If V

~ = ∂Vx + ∂Vy + ∂Vz

∇·V (14)
∂x ∂y ∂z
~ 6= V
However, ∇ · V ~ ·∇

~ (x, y, z) is differentiable vector field then,

Curl: If V
 
 î ĵ k̂ 
~
 ∂ ∂ ∂ 
 ∂Vn
∇ × V =  ∂x ∂y ∂z  ≡ ǫlmn
 (15)
 V V V  ∂xm
x y z

~ = 0, V
When ∇ × V ~ is called irrotational.