SCALAR (Dot) PRODUCT OF TWO VECTORS

The scalar product of two vectors a and b is defined as

a  b || a |||| b || cos  ,

where  is the angle between the vectors a and b . This is also referred to as the dot product of

a and b .

If a  a1 i  a2 j  a3 k and b  b1 i  b2 j  b3 k , then

 
a  b  a1 i  a2 j  a3 k  b1 i  b2 j  b3 k 
 a1b1  a2b2  a3b3

Recall that i , j and k are mutually perpendicular unit vectors. Hence, from definition,

i  i  j  j  k  k  1 1 cos 0  1

i j  j k  k i  0

N|B

a. If a and b have same direction, i.e.   0 , then a  b || a |||| b || .

 b. If a and b are perpendicular, i.e.   90 , then a  b  0

c. If a and b are in the opposite directions, i.e.   180 , then a  b   || a |||| b || .

EXAMPLE

Find the scalar product of each of the following pairs of vectors:

1. a  5i  2 j and b  2i  3 j

2. v1  3i  2 j  k and v2  2i  3 j  4k

3. m  2i  2 j  k and n  3i  6 j  2k

Solution

1. a  b  (5  2)  (2  (3))

 10  6
4

2. v1  v2  4

3. m  n  8

Basic Properties of Scalar Product

1. a  b  b  a

2.  a   b  a   b 
 
3. a  b  c  a  b  a  c

4. a  a  || a ||2

5. a  0  0  a  0
 EXERCISES FOR THE WEEKEND

Find the scalar product of the set of vectors:

1. u  7i  3 j  4k and w  4i  2 j  k .

2. a  2i  j  k and a  3i  4 j  k

ANGLE BETWEEN TWO VECTORS

Consider the diagram below.

With the vectors a and b both different from zero, and a  b  || a |||| b || cos  we have

a b
cos  
|| a || || b ||

a b
   Cos 1
|| a || || b ||

Or   Cos 1 (a  b)

This shows that the cosine of the angle between two vectors is the dot product of their

corresponding unit vectors.

EXAMPLE
Calculate the angle between a  2i  3 j  2k and b  i  2 j  k .

Solution

a
1
17

2i  3 j  2k 

b
1
6

i2jk 

Cos  
1
17
 
2i  3 j  2k 
1
6
i2jk 

6

17 6

  Cos1 0.594

 54

CLASS ACTIVITY

Calculate the angle between the following pairs of vectors:

a. a  5i  4 j  2k and b  4i  5 j  3k

b. a  2i  4 j  3k and b  i  3 j  2k

c. a  2i  3 j  k and b  i  2 j  3k

EXERCISES FOR THE WEEKEND

1. Verify that a  2i  j  k and b  i  j  3k are perpendicular.

2. Show that the vectors a  2i  2 j  6k and b  i  j  3k are parallel and in the same

directions.
3. Show that the vectors a  3i  3 j  9k and b  i  j  3k are parallel and in opposite

directions.

4. Find all the values of  for which v1  2i  5 j  2 k is perpendicular to

v2  6i  4 j   k .

5. Find all the values of  for which v1  2i  5 j  2 k is perpendicular to

v2  6i  4 j   k .