Chapter 1: Algebra, Vectors and Fields

1.1 Vector Algebra

1.2 Cartesian Coordinate System
1.3 Cylindrical and Spherical Coordinate Systems
1.4 Scalar and Vector Fields

1
1.1 Vector Algebra
(1) Vector (A) vs. Scalar (A)

Ex: Force, Velocity, EM fields Ex: Mass, Charge, Temperature

Magnitude and Direction Magnitude only

(2) Unit Vector has magnitude unity denoted by symbol a with subscript

A A1a1 + A2 a 2 + A3a 3
aA = =
A A12 + A22 + A32

Useful for expressing vector direction property.

2
1.1 Vector Algebra
(3) Dot Product is a scalar

Useful for finding angle between two vectors.

A= A1a1 + A2a 2 + A3a3

B= B1a1 + B2a 2 + B3a3

A • B A1B1 + A2 B2 + A3 B3
cos  = =
AB A12 + A22 + A32 B12 + B22 + B32

3
1.1 Vector Algebra
(4) Cross Product is a vector

is perpendicular to both vectors and directs toward the advance

side of right-hand screw as turned from A to B

Determinant form

Useful for finding unit vector perpendicular to two vectors.

4
1.1 Vector Algebra
(5) Triple Cross Product is a vector

A  (B  C)  B  (C  A)  C  (A  B)

in general, associative rule can not be applied

(6) Scalar Triple Product is a scalar

(the rows are interchanged

in a cyclical manner) 5
1.1 Vector Algebra
Volume of the parallelepiped
= Area of base × Height

= 𝐀 × 𝐁 𝐂 ⋅ 𝐚𝐧
𝐀×𝐁
= 𝐀×𝐁 𝐂⋅
𝐀×𝐁
=𝐂⋅𝐀×𝐁
= 𝐀⋅𝐁×𝐂

6
1.1 Vector Algebra: Examples
D1.2 𝐀 = 3𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 + 𝐚𝟑
𝐁 = 𝐚𝟏 + 𝐚𝟐 − 𝐚𝟑
𝐂 = 𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 + 𝟑𝐚𝟑

(a) Find 𝐀 + 𝐁 − 4𝐂

𝐀 + 𝐁 − 4𝐂 = 3 + 1 − 4 𝐚𝟏 + 2 + 1 − 8 𝐚𝟐 + 1 − 1 − 12 𝐚𝟑

= −5𝐚𝟐 − 12𝐚𝟑

𝐀 + 𝐁 − 4𝐂 = 25 + 144 = 13

7
1.1 Vector Algebra: Examples
D1.2 𝐀 = 3𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 + 𝐚𝟑
𝐁 = 𝐚𝟏 + 𝐚𝟐 − 𝐚𝟑
𝐂 = 𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 + 3𝐚𝟑

(b) Find unit vector along 𝐀 + 2𝐁 − 𝐂

𝐀 + 2𝐁 − 𝐂 = 3 + 2 − 1 𝐚𝟏 + 2 + 2 − 2 𝐚𝟐 + 1 − 2 + 3 𝐚𝟑

= 4𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 − 4𝐚𝟑

4𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 − 4𝐚𝟑 4𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 − 4𝐚𝟑

Unit vector: 𝐚 = =
4𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 − 4𝐚𝟑 16 + 4 + 16
1
𝐚= 2𝐚𝟏 + 1𝐚𝟐 − 2𝐚𝟑
3

8
1.1 Vector Algebra: Examples
D1.2 𝐀 = 3𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 + 𝐚𝟑
𝐁 = 𝐚𝟏 + 𝐚𝟐 − 𝐚𝟑
𝐂 = 𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 + 𝟑𝐚𝟑

(c) Find 𝐀 ⋅ 𝐂
𝐀 ⋅ 𝐂 = 3 × 1 + 2 × 2 + 1 × 3 = 10

(d) Find 𝐁 × 𝐂
𝐚𝟏 𝐚𝟐 𝐚𝟑
𝐁×𝐂 = 1 1 −1
1 2 3

= 3 + 2 𝐚 𝟏 − 3 + 1 𝐚𝟐 + 2 − 1 𝐚𝟑

= 5𝐚𝟏 − 4𝐚𝟐 + 𝐚𝟑

9
1.1 Vector Algebra: Examples
D1.2 𝐀 = 3𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 + 𝐚𝟑
𝐁 = 𝐚𝟏 + 𝐚𝟐 − 𝐚𝟑
𝐂 = 𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 + 𝟑𝐚𝟑

(e) Find 𝐀 ⋅ 𝐁 × 𝐂
3 2 1
𝐀 ⋅ 𝐁 × 𝐂 = 1 1 −1 = 3 3 + 2 − 2 3 + 1 + 1 2 − 1 = 8
1 2 3
Alternative solution:
𝐚𝟏 𝐚𝟐 𝐚𝟑
𝐁×𝐂= 1 1 −1 = 5𝐚𝟏 − 4𝐚𝟐 + 𝐚𝟑
1 2 3
𝐀 ⋅ 𝐁 × 𝐂 = 3𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 + 𝐚𝟑 ⋅ 5𝐚𝟏 − 4𝐚𝟐 + 𝐚𝟑

= 3 × 5 + 2 × (−4) + 1 × 1 = 8

10
1.1 Vector Algebra: Examples
P1.5 Straight line connecting the tips of three vectors originating from a point.
Show that the tips of three vectors A, B, and C originating from a common
point lie along a straight line if 𝐀 × 𝐁 + 𝐁 × 𝐂 + 𝐂 × 𝐀 = 𝟎. Provide a
geometric interpretation for this result.
E
∵ 𝐀 + 𝐃 = 𝐁, 𝐃=𝐁−𝐀 D
C
B
∵ 𝐁 + 𝐄 = 𝐂, 𝐄=𝐂−𝐁
A
D and E lie along a straight line ∴ 𝐃 × 𝐄 = 𝟎
Common
𝐁−𝐀 × 𝐂−𝐁 =𝟎 Point
𝐁×𝐂−𝐀×𝐂−𝐁×𝐁+𝐀×𝐁 =𝟎

𝐀×𝐁+𝐁×𝐂+𝐂×𝐀 =𝟎

11
1.1 Vector Algebra: Examples
Another Example Given: 𝐚𝟏 × 𝐀 = −𝐚𝟐 + 2𝐚𝟑
𝐚𝟐 × 𝐀 = 𝐚𝟏 − 2𝐚𝟑

Find A
𝐌×𝐍 A
𝐚𝐀 = M aA
𝐌×𝐍
𝐀 = C −𝐚𝟐 + 2𝐚𝟑 × 𝐚𝟏 − 2𝐚𝟑
N
𝐚𝟏 𝐚𝟐 𝐚𝟑
𝐀=C 0 −1 2 = C 2𝐚𝟏 + 𝟐𝐚𝟐 + 𝐚𝟑
1 0 −2
𝐚𝟏 × C 2𝐚𝟏 + 2𝐚𝟐 + 𝐚𝟑 = −𝐚𝟐 + 2𝐚𝟑

C 2𝐚𝟑 − 𝐚𝟐 = −𝐚𝟐 + 2𝐚𝟑

C=1 ∴ 𝐀 = 2𝐚𝟏 + 𝟐𝐚𝟐 + 𝐚𝟑

12