Position and Distance Vectors

Vector Multiplication
• There exist three types of products in vector calculus: the simple product, the scalar (or dot) product, and
the vector (or cross) product.
• Scalar or Dot Product
A·B = AB cosθAB
A·B = B·A
A·(B+C) = A·B + A·C
• Vector or Cross Product

A × B = n̂ AB sin θAB
where n̂ is a unit vector normal to the plane containing A and B

A × B = −B × A
A × (B + C) = A × B + A × C
A×A=0
Example
Scalar & Vector Triple Product
• Scalar Triple Product
A � ( B x C ) = B � ( C x A ) = C � (A x B )
-The equalities hold as long as the cyclic order (ABCABC…) is preserved.

• Vector Triple Product

Ax(BxC)≠(AxB)xC

A x ( B x C ) = B ( A � C ) – C (A � B )
Example
v v

w w

w
v v
Vector v and vector w are
the same and identical
because they have same
w magnitude and direction
w

Vector v and vector w are

not the same because they
have different magnitude
and direction

v
Vector v and vector w are
not the same eventhough
w they have same magnitude
but different direction
Transformation between Coordinate Systems
Transformation between Coordinate Systems
• Cartesian to Cylindrical Transformation
+
r= 𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦 2
𝜃𝜃= 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡−1 𝑦𝑦⁄𝑥𝑥
z=z
• Cylindrical to Cartesian Transformation
x = r cos 𝜃𝜃
y = r sin 𝜃𝜃
z=z
• Cartesian to Spherical Transformations
+
R= 𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦 2 + 𝑧𝑧 2
+
−1 𝑥𝑥 2 +𝑦𝑦 2�
𝜃𝜃= 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑥𝑥
𝜑𝜑 = 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡−1 𝑦𝑦⁄𝑥𝑥
Example
Application
• The Global Positioning System (GPS), initially developed in the 1980s by the U.S. Department of Defense
as a navigation tool for military use, has evolved into a system with numerous civilian applications, including
vehicle tracking, aircraft navigation, map displays in automobiles and hand-held cell phones.
• X-Ray Computed Tomography also known as CT scan or CAT scan (for computed axial tomography), refers to
a technique capable of generating 3-D images of the X-ray attenuation (absorption) properties of an object.
This is in contrast to the traditional, X-ray technique that produces only a 2-D profile of the object.