Lines and Waves – Self Study Questions

for Vector Calculus Part 1

Selected Worked Solutions

Professor Ian Craddock.

1. Vector Calculus
1. The result of the dot product of two vectors is a scalar. For the cross product, the result
is another vector.
2. If the angle between the two vectors is greater than 90∘ then the dot product will be
negative.
3. The two vectors are perpendicular.
4. The two vectors are parallel.
Given a vector 𝑨 = −3𝒙 ̂+𝒚 ̂ in the direction
̂ + 6𝒛̂ find its magnitude, the unit vector 𝑨
o
of A and the angle that A makes with the z axis. (Answer: 27.8 ).
If 𝐴 = −3𝑥̂ + 𝑦̂ + 6𝑧̂ , the magnitude of 𝐴𝑖𝑠|𝐴| = 6.782.
The unit vector in the direction of 𝐴 is
𝐴
𝐴̂ = |𝐴| = −0.442𝑥̂ + 0.147𝑦̂ + 0.885𝑧̂

The angle Θ that 𝐴 makes with the 𝑧 axis is given by:

𝑐𝑜𝑠Θ = 𝐴̂ ⋅ 𝑧̂
Therefore Θ = 27.8∘
5. Given 𝐀 = −4𝒙 ̂ + 3𝒚
̂ + 2𝒛̂ and 𝐁 = 2𝒙 ̂ + 1𝒛̂ find 𝐀 ⋅ 𝐁, and AB.
̂ − 2𝒚
̂ + 8𝒚
(Answers: -12, 7𝒙 ̂ + 2𝒛̂, 138.0 o).
If 𝐴 = −4𝑥̂ + 3𝑦̂ + 2𝑧̂ and 𝐵 = 2𝑥̂ − 2𝑦̂ + 1𝑧̂
𝐴 ⋅ 𝐵 = (−4\𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒2) + (3 × −2) + (2 × 1) = −12
𝐴 × 𝐵 = 7𝑥̂ + 8𝑦̂ + 2𝑧̂
𝐴 ⋅ 𝐵 = |𝐴||𝐵|𝑐𝑜𝑠Θ
thus Θ = 138.0∘
6. -

1
7. Grad operates on a scalar function (the result is a vector).
8. Given V = 𝑥^2y𝑧^3 + x𝑦^2𝑧^2 find \𝑚𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑚{\𝑛𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑎 𝑉}\ at the point P (x=1,
y=3, z=2).
̂ + 32𝒚
(Answer: 84𝒙 ̂ + 72𝒛̂).

∂ ∂ ∂
(𝑥 2 y𝑧 3 + x𝑦 2 𝑧 2 )𝒙
̂+ (𝑥 2 y𝑧 3 + x𝑦 2 𝑧 2 )𝒚
̂ + (𝑥 2 y𝑧 3 + x𝑦 2 𝑧 2 )𝒛̂)
∂𝑥 ∂𝑦 ∂𝑧
(2𝑥𝑦𝑧 3 + 𝑦 2 𝑧 2 )𝒙
̂+ (𝑥 2 3 𝑧 + 2𝑥𝑦𝑧 2 )𝒚
̂ (3𝑥 2 2
+ 2 ̂
𝑦𝑧 + 2𝑥𝑦 𝑧)𝒛)
(84)𝒙
̂ + (32)𝒚
̂ + (72)𝒛̂
9.
An infinitely-wide parallel plate capacitor is charged to a voltage of 5V. The two plates
are spaced 1cm apart on the y-axis. You can assume that the voltage varies linearly
between the plates at y=0 and y=0.01m, as V(𝑦) = 500y. Calculate the size and
direction of the Electric Field between the two plates. (Answer: 𝐄(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = −500𝐲̂
[V/m]).

𝐄 = −∇𝑉 = −∇(500y)
∂ ∂ ∂
𝐄=− (500y)𝒙
̂− (500y)𝒚
̂ − (500y)𝒛
∂𝑥 ∂𝑦 ∂𝑧
∂
𝐄 = − ∂𝑦 (500y)𝒚
̂