Ch9 2

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9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)
9.3 Vector Product (Cross Product)

• Definition: The vector product or cross product 𝐚 𝐛 (read 𝐚 cross
𝐛) of two vectors 𝐚 and 𝐛 is the vector 𝐯 denoted by
• If 𝐚 𝟎 or 𝐛 𝟎, then we define 𝐯 𝐚 𝐛 𝟎
• If both vectors are nonzero vectors, then vector 𝐯 has the length
(magnitude):
The area of the blue

parallelogram formed
by 𝐚 and 𝐛
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• If 𝐚 and 𝐛 lie in the same straight line
• If 𝐯 is a nonzero vector, the direction of 𝐯 𝐚 𝐛 is perpendicular

to both 𝐚 and 𝐛 such that 𝐚, 𝐛, 𝐯 (precisely in this order) form a
right-handed triple
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• Express cross product in terms of components (right-handed
Cartesian coordinate system):
𝐚 𝑎 ,𝑎 ,𝑎 𝑎 𝐢 𝑎 𝐣 𝑎 𝐤
𝐛 𝑏 ,𝑏 ,𝑏 𝑏 𝐢 𝑏 𝐣 𝑏 𝐤
𝐯 𝐚 𝐛 𝑣 ,𝑣 ,𝑣 𝑣 𝐢 𝑣 𝐣 𝑣 𝐤
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• Example: Let 𝐚 1,1,0 and 𝐛 3,0,0 , compute 𝐯 𝐚 𝐛
𝐢 𝐣 𝐤
1 0 1 0 1 1
𝐯 1 1 0 𝐢 𝐣 𝐤 3𝐤
0 0 3 0 3 0
3 0 0
0 0 3
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• Vector products of the standard basis vectors
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General properties of vector products
• (a) For every scalar 𝑙,
• (b) Cross multiplication is distributive with respect to vector

addition:
• (c) Cross multiplication is not commutative but anticommutative:
• (d) Cross multiplication is not associative. In general,
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Typical applications of vector products
• Example: Moment of a force
Vector from 𝑄 to any Force
point 𝐴 on 𝐿
• The moment of force 𝐩 about the point 𝑄:
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• Example: Velocity of a rotating body
 The body is rotated with angular velocity 𝐰

 𝐰 provides (1) direction of rotation
(2) magnitude 𝐰 𝜔 0
 Consider a point 𝑃 on the body. Note that

the origin 𝑂 is on the rotational axis and 𝐫 is
the position vector of 𝑃
 The speed of 𝑃 𝑣:
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Scalar triple product
• Certain products of vectors, having three or more factors, occur in
applications. The most important one is the scalar triple product:
• Definition:
• 𝐚𝐛𝐜 𝐚· 𝐛 𝐜
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• Properties of scalar triple products:
• (a) The dot and cross can be interchanged
• Proof:
• (b) Geometric interpretation: The absolute value 𝐚 𝐛 𝐜 is the

volume of the parallelepiped (oblique box) with 𝐚 𝐛 𝐜 as edge
vectors
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• (c) Linear independence: Three vectors in 𝑅 are linearly

independent if and only if their scalar triple product is not zero
• Why? ( Homework)
This is the end of vector algebra. Vector calculus begins in the next
section!
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9.4 Vector and Scalar Functions and Their Fields. Vector Calculus: Derivatives
9.4 Vector and Scalar Functions and Their Fields. Vector

Calculus: Derivatives
• Two types of function: vector function 𝐯 & scalar function 𝑓
• Let 𝑃 be any point in a domain of definition (e.g. 3-dimensional
domain, a surface or a curve in space)
3-D domain A surface A curve
𝑧
• We define a vector function 𝐯 whose values are vectors that

depends on points 𝑃 in space:
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• We say that a vector function defines a vector field in a domain of
definition: an assignment of a vector to each point in space
• Examples:
• Other examples of vector field in physics include:

Gravitational field
Magnetic field
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• In contrary, a scalar function 𝑓 is a function whose values are
scalars that depends on points 𝑃:
• Similarly, we say that a scalar function defines a scalar field in the

space.
• Examples of scalar field include:
Temperature field of a body
Pressure field
The distance of any point 𝑃 from a fixed point 𝑃
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• Example: At any instant the velocity vectors 𝐯 𝑃 of a rotating body
𝐵 constitute a vector field, called the velocity field of the rotation.
𝐫
𝑧
𝑦
𝑥
• Note that vector and scalar functions may also depend on time 𝑡 or
other parameters
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Vector calculus
• Many of the concepts covered in regular calculus carry over to
vector calculus: convergence, continuity, and differentiability
• Convergence:
• An infinite sequence of vectors 𝐚 , 𝑛 1,2, ⋯ is said to
converge if there is a vector 𝐚 such that
• Similarly, a vector function 𝐯 𝑡 of a real variable 𝑡 is said to

have the limit 𝒍 as 𝑡 approaches 𝑡 if
• Note that 𝐯 𝑡 is defined in some neighborhood of 𝑡

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• Continuity:
• A vector function 𝐯 𝑡 is said to be continuous at 𝑡 𝑡 if it is
defined in some neighborhood of 𝑡 (including at 𝑡 itself) and
• If we introduce a Cartesian coordinate system, we may write
• Then 𝐯 𝑡 is continuous at 𝑡 if and only if its three

components ___________________ are continuous at 𝑡
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• Derivative of a vector function:
• A vector function 𝐯 𝑡 is said to be differentiable at a point 𝑡 if
the following limit exists:
• This vector 𝐯′ 𝑡 is called the derivative of 𝐯 𝑡
The locus of the terminal points of

𝐯 𝑡 for values of the independent
variable 𝑡 in some interval
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• In components with respect to a given Cartesian coordinate
system
• The derivative 𝐯′ 𝑡 is obtained by differentiating each

component separately.
• Some differentiation rules for differentiating vector functions:
 𝑐𝐯 𝑐𝐯
 𝐮 𝐯 𝐮 𝐯′
 𝐮·𝐯 𝐮 ·𝐯 𝐮 · 𝐯′
 𝐮 𝐯 𝐮 𝐯 𝐮 𝐯
 𝐮 𝐯 𝐰 𝐮 𝐯 𝐰 𝐮 𝐯 𝐰 𝐮 𝐯 𝐰′
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• Example: Derivative of a vector function of constant length
• The derivative of a vector function 𝐯 𝑡 of constant length is either

the zero vector or is perpendicular to 𝐯 𝑡
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• Partial derivatives of a vector function:
• Suppose that the components of a vector function
are differentiable functions of variables 𝑡 , ⋯ , 𝑡 .
• The partial derivative of 𝐯 with respect to 𝑡 is denoted by

𝜕𝐯⁄𝜕𝑡 and is defined as the vector function
• Similarly, the second partial derivatives are
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• Example:
Let 𝐫 𝑡 , 𝑡 𝑎 cos 𝑡 𝐢 𝑎 sin 𝑡 𝐣 𝑡 𝐤
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2024/2/25

9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)

9.3 Vector Product (Cross Product)

The area of the blue

9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)

• If 𝐯 is a nonzero vector, the direction of 𝐯 𝐚 𝐛 is perpendicular

9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)

9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)

9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)

9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)

• (b) Cross multiplication is distributive with respect to vector

• (c) Cross multiplication is not commutative but anticommutative:

• (d) Cross multiplication is not associative. In general,

9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)

• The moment of force 𝐩 about the point 𝑄:

9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)

 The body is rotated with angular velocity 𝐰

 Consider a point 𝑃 on the body. Note that

9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)

9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)

• (b) Geometric interpretation: The absolute value 𝐚 𝐛 𝐜 is the

9.3 Vector Product (Cross product)

• (c) Linear independence: Three vectors in 𝑅 are linearly

9.4 Vector and Scalar Functions and Their Fields. Vector

• We define a vector function 𝐯 whose values are vectors that

• Other examples of vector field in physics include:

• Similarly, we say that a scalar function defines a scalar field in the

• Similarly, a vector function 𝐯 𝑡 of a real variable 𝑡 is said to

• Note that 𝐯 𝑡 is defined in some neighborhood of 𝑡

• If we introduce a Cartesian coordinate system, we may write

• Then 𝐯 𝑡 is continuous at 𝑡 if and only if its three

• This vector 𝐯′ 𝑡 is called the derivative of 𝐯 𝑡

The locus of the terminal points of

• The derivative 𝐯′ 𝑡 is obtained by differentiating each

• The derivative of a vector function 𝐯 𝑡 of constant length is either

are differentiable functions of variables 𝑡 , ⋯ , 𝑡 .

• The partial derivative of 𝐯 with respect to 𝑡 is denoted by

• Similarly, the second partial derivatives are

Let 𝐫 𝑡 , 𝑡 𝑎 cos 𝑡 𝐢 𝑎 sin 𝑡 𝐣 𝑡 𝐤

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